It seemed to her that she had never found Mr. Sabin more
entertaining, had never more appreciated his rare gift of effortless
and anecdotal conversation. What a marvelous memory! He knew
something of every country from the inside. He had been brought at
various times during his long diplomatic career into contact with
most of the interesting people in the world. He knew well how to
separate the grain from the chaff according to the tastes of his
listener. The pathos of his present position appealed to her
irresistibly. The possibilities of his life had been so great,
fortune had treated him always so strangely. The greatest of his
schemes had come so near to success, the luck had turned against
him only at the very moment of fruition. Helene felt very kindly
towards her UNCLE as she led him, after luncheon, to a quiet corner
of the winter garden, where a servant had already arranged a table
with coffee and liqueurs and cigarettes. Unscrupulous all his life,
there had been an element of greatness in all his schemes. Even
his failures had been magnificent, for his successes he himself had
seldom reaped the reward. And now in the autumn of his days she
felt dimly that he was threatened with some evil thing against which
he stood at bay single-handed, likely perhaps to be overpowered.
Pages:
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121