Speaker 1: Without the wedding garment by Anonymous. On one of Lady
George Atoll's first Thursdays, her rooms were filling to overflow.
Barn Street was blocked with carriages. Lady George stood on
the big square landing at the top of the stairs
and gave her hand so often that after a time
it seemed no longer her own. The people thronged up
and up. The current appeared unending, and she felt almost
as if the circle must be complete, and the string
of guests must be revolving, as in a child's toy,
the figures that are gummed onto a tape go up
to the mill, move in endless succession, up and up
and up. Her tongue was tired, too, and so was
her smile, but each was kept in active work. How
do you do? How do you do? How do you do?
You're sudden? Up with you? No? I'm sorry? What lovely flowers?
How do you do? How do you do? No? Almost cold?
How do you do? Yes? Stifling? Ah missus Keith, I
scarcely thought you would get away dull? Was it? What?
None of the right people didn't suppose for an instant
there would be Let me stand here for one moment.
I want so much to know who someone is who
came in just before us. A beautiful woman, quite too lovely,
Missus Venables, probably not Missus Vennibles, fair Lady Fleet, no,
miss Adair No, then I can't tell you till I
see her. She's coming up now there with the fair hair. No,
in front of the Brabazons. Lady George had the mischance
to drop her bouquet, and in the momentary confusion, a
name was lost. The lady who advanced behind the unheard
name was fair to whiteness almost. Her hair was of
a peculiar shade of yellow, like pale sulfur. Her eyes
were of the lightest gray. Lady George gave her hand
and said, how do you do? The Brabezons occupied her
with some elaborate explanation about why they had been unable
to dine in Barn Street, and in the meantime the lady,
with a murmured word, had passed on. Lady George looked
after her. She was spowing to some one. She was
bowing again and now again. Apparently she had many friends
in the room. Mister Brabazon was talking to Missus Keith,
who as soon as he had moved away, turned to
her hostess. She is handsome. I hope your flowers were
not spoiled. I didn't catch the name. The lady was
lost in the smart crowd. Neither did I, said Lady
George blankly. And I don't know her from Adam. She
must be some friend of the girls Joan or Maud
must have sent her a card. My memory's so bad.
I can't leave this. If you come across either of
my daughters, will you send her to me? Missus Keith, Oh,
here is my husband, George. George, go into the room
and tell me who the striking looking woman with the
yellow hair is. There are dozens of em, which I'll
show you, said missus Keith. She was interested. The two
moved away, but like the dove from the ark, they
did not return. Lady George after ten minutes or so,
felt that she had done her duty, and she left
the top of the stairs. She forgot the unknown lady,
and it was half an hour before she came across
one of her daughters, Maud. I had something to ask you,
and I forget what. Oh, yes, who is I can't
see her now? Yes? There she is that woman with
a yellow hair standing by the mantel piece in white?
I don't know, but neither do I. I thought you
would be able to tell me find Joan and send
her to me. It was twenty minutes before Lady George's
second daughter appeared before her. By that time, the lady
had moved her place. I know the one you mean,
said Joan, But I don't know who she is. She
has very curious hair and she is in white. Yes, well,
I don't know. Missus Keith came up. Lord George doesn't know,
she said. I can easily find out, said Jane. She
has been talking to Charlie Vincent for the last ten minutes.
I'll ask him. She moved away as she spoke. Young
Vincent was leaning against a pillar and laughing heartily. He
was the butt for the moment of a chaff of
two of his friends. Joan heard a few of their remarks.
He didn't mind, don't you know? Awfully pretty woman like that?
Neither would you? Said She met him at Nice and
dear Old Charley's never been out of the country in
his life. Vincent caught Miss Atoll's eye. You are going
to let me take you down to supper, he said
to her, I will see later on, said Jane. Just now,
I want you to tell me something. What is the
name of the lady you were talking to a few
minutes ago. He began to laugh at what, said Joan,
Well the whole thing. Those two chaps have been chaffing
me like anything, as it is. You mean the handsome
woman with the fair hair. Yes, I was standing near
her when she turned round and put out her hand.
She said, mister Vincent, isn't it And I said yes.
And then she said she hadn't seen me for ever
so long, and I didn't like to pretend that I
did not know her, so I said that it was
rather a long time. And then we talked for a bit.
And you don't know who she is? Never saw her
before my life? Who is she? Where did she think
she had met you, said Joan, without answering his question. Well,
you see that didn't come out till quite the end.
She said, it must be two years since the days
at Nice. And by that time I was so steeped
in deception I had allowed my reminiscences of our former
acquaintance to go to such lengths in order to coincide
with hers that I had not the face to tell
her that I had never been at nice in my life.
She mistook me for some one else. I knew that
after the first half dozen words. But you see, I
had woven such a tangled web that I couldn't get
out of it even if I wanted to. And those
two chaps say I didn't, Joan laughed. She is very handsome,
she said, but I'm not quite sure that she has
good style. And you won't come down to supper, not now.
I would ask her if I knew her name, said Vincent.
I must get Lady George to tell me when I
see her. You won't do that, said Joan, and she
left him with a smile that he failed to interpret.
Miss Atole went back to her mother. On the way
she passed the fair unknown talking to mister Brabazon. I
watched that missus Keith was saying she dropped her fan. Well, Jane,
what had mister Vincent to tell you? Nothing, said miss Atoll.
The mystery remains a mystery. She mistook him for some
one else. She bowed to Lady Beckanham. I think here
is Lady Beckenham. I will ask her not to me
said Lady Beckenham. Lady George explained the situation. If I
were in your case, I should go to her myself,
said Lady Beckanham. I must, I think, said Lady George,
and she sought her unknown guest. You will pardon me,
she said, But I did not hear your name, and
my memory is bad. I do not recall your face.
I am Missus Darbyshire, said the lady. I was so
sorry not to return your call on Monday. It was
good of you to come and see me so soon.
Derbyshire call. Lady George looked at her vacantly. The lady
caught something of her hostess's expression. Can there be any mistake?
She said? I don't know you, of course, because I
did not see you when you called. You heard from
my dear friends, the Van Lindens of New York, and
you came to see me and asked me to your party.
Lady George looked more vacant. You are Missus Sefton, surely,
said the lady. There is some mistake, said Lady George.
I am Lady George Atoll. Missus Derbyshire had started to
her feet. How can I sufficiently apologize? She said, I
am a stranger in London. I only arrived from New
York last week. I had an introduction to Missus Sefton.
I do not know her personally, so I did not
discover my mistake. I came in a hansom and I
suppose the driver mistook my direction. Lady George smiled graciously.
The mistake is easily explained. If Missus Sefton lives in
barn Square, that is it, I think, said Missus Derbyshire.
And this is Barnes Street. I am so distressed this
should have happened, said Missus Darbyshire. Not at all, said
Lady George. You've found some friends here, I hope, and
it has given us the pleasure of your company. The lady,
with reiterated apologies, bowed and took her departure. A man
who passed her on the stairs looked at her faceedly
and hurried up to his hostess. Will you tell me
that lady's name, he said, five minutes ago I might
have asked you, Colonel Weston. She is a Missus Derbyshire.
I believe her cabmen mistook Barne Street for Barn Square.
You know nothing about her nothing, then excuse me Colonel
Weston hurried down to the hall. Missus Drbyshire was coming
from the cloak room. Mademoiselle Le stoct will permit me
to see her to her hotel. The lady started, then
smiled and bowed. Monsieur a bienne mable she said. He
followed her to the hansom and got in. He spoke
up through the trap. Drive slowly to the end of
the street, and I will direct you. He turned then
to his companion. We meet again, Mademoiselle. Well, Monsieur Mademoiselle
has perhaps few friends in London. Not many. Monsieur Mademoiselle, however,
starts well under such a wing as that of Lady
George atall, without doubt, Monsieur a more softly feathered wing
than that of the law Mademoiselle. You should know, Monsieur
is facetious. I should like to see what you have
in your pocket, Mademoiselle, my handkerchief, monsieur, what else a
meager purse? What else? That is all? That figure clad
in dark blue is a policeman? What else, Mademoiselle? Only this,
said Missus Darbyshire. She handed him a small diamond brooch
as she spoke. Only that that is all, monsieur, I
have had no luck. You are sure, that is all
a word to my friend in blue, save yourself the trouble, monsieur.
That is all. Good night, mademoiselle, good night, for the
old sake's sake, good night, said Missus Darbysher. Colonel Weston
called another cab and drove back to Barn Street. A
chance likeness, perhaps to some one I met in Paris,
he said to Lady George. One is easily mistaken. I
have just picked this up, he added, putting the brooch
into her hand. Do you know whose it is? Some
one is sure to claim it, said Lady George. A
few days later it chanced that Lady George Atoll and
Missus Sefton met. I suppose you heard from your friend,
Missus Derbyshire, of her coming to my crush and mistake
of yours. Missus Derbyshire, said Missus Sefton. But she came
to me the night before last, for you her cabin mistook.
Lady George opened her eyes. When did that happen? On Wednesday?
I have good reason to remember the day, for I
lost an emerald bracelet,