Page 392 of 490

He was rather sorry he had come, till Lady Narborough, looking at

the great ormolu gilt clock that sprawled in gaudy curves on the

mauve-draped mantelshelf, exclaimed: "How horrid of Henry Wotton

to be so late! I sent round to him this morning on chance and he

promised faithfully not to disappoint me."

It was some consolation that Harry was to be there, and when the

door opened and he heard his slow musical voice lending charm to

some insincere apology, he ceased to feel bored.

But at dinner he could not eat anything. Plate after plate went

away untasted. Lady Narborough kept scolding him for what she

called "an insult to poor Adolphe, who invented the menu

specially for you," and now and then Lord Henry looked across at

him, wondering at his silence and abstracted manner. From time to

time the butler filled his glass with champagne. He drank

eagerly, and his thirst seemed to increase.