Society counts for so
much in England. What public man had ever won through without its
assistance. As Greyson had said: it is the dinner-table that rules. She
could win it over to his side. That mission to Paris that she had
undertaken for Mrs. Denton, that had brought her into contact with
diplomatists, politicians, the leaders and the rulers, the bearers of
names known and honoured in history. They had accepted her as one of
themselves. She had influenced them, swayed them. That afternoon at
Folk's studio, where all eyes had followed her, where famous men and
women had waited to attract her notice, had hung upon her words. Even at
school, at college, she had always commanded willing homage. As Greyson
had once told her, it was herself--her personality that was her greatest
asset. Was it to be utterly wasted? There were hundreds of impersonal,
sexless women, equipped for nothing else, with pens as keen if not keener
than hers. That was not the talent with which she had been entrusted--for
which she would have to account. It was her beauty, her power to charm,
to draw after her--to compel by the mere exercise of her will.
Pages:
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333