For, mind you, they were celebrities. He knew Seven Sachs was a
celebrity because he had verily seen him act--and act very well--in
his own play, and because his name in letters a foot high had
dominated all the hoardings of the Five Towns. As for Rose Euclid,
could there be a greater celebrity? Such was the strange power of the
popular legend concerning her that even now, despite the first fearful
shock of disappointment, Edward Henry could not call her by her name
without self-consciously stumbling over it, without a curious thrill.
And further, he was revising his judgment of her, as well as lowering
her age slightly. On coming into the room she had doubtless been
almost as startled as himself, and her constrained muteness had been
probably due to a guilty feeling in the matter of passing too open
remarks to a friend about a perfect stranger's manner of eating
artichokes. The which supposition flattered him. (By the way, he
wished she had brought the young friend who had shared her amusement
over his artichokes.) With regard to the other two men, he was quite
ready to believe that Carlo Trent was the world's greatest dramatic
poet, and to admit the exceeding talent of Mr. Marrier as a theatrical
manager.... In fact, unmistakable celebrities, one and all! He himself
was a celebrity. A certain quality in the attitude of each of his
guests showed clearly that they considered him a celebrity, and not
only a celebrity but a card--Bryany must have been talking--and the
conviction of this rendered him happy.
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