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Experiments in Convalescence
Thehouse,itsfurnishings,themannerinwhichdinnerwasserved,wereinimmensecontrasttowhathehadmetinthegreatplacesonLongIsland,wheretheservantsweresoobtrusivethattheyhadpositivelytobebumpedoutoftheway,oreveninthehousesofmoreconservative"UnionClub"families.Hewonderedifthisairofsymmetricalrestraint,thisgrace,whichhefeltwascontinental,wasdistilledthroughMrs.Lawrence’sNewEnglandancestryoracquiredinlongresidenceinItalyandSpain.
Twoglassesofsauterneatluncheonloosenedhistongue,andhetalked,withwhathefeltwassomethingofhisoldcharm,ofreligionandliteratureandthemenacingphenomenaofthesocialorder.Mrs.Lawrencewasostensiblypleasedwithhim,andherinterestwasespeciallyinhismind;hewantedpeopletolikehismindagain—afterawhileitmightbesuchaniceplaceinwhichtolive.
"MonsignorDarcystillthinksthatyou’rehisreincarnation,thatyourfaithwilleventuallyclarify."
"Perhaps,"heassented."I’mratherpaganatpresent.It’sjustthatreligiondoesn’tseemtohavetheslightestbearingonlifeatmyage."
WhenheleftherhousehewalkeddownRiversideDrivewithafeelingofsatisfaction.Itwasamusingtodiscussagainsuchsubjectsasthisyoungpoet,StephenVincentBenet,ortheIrishRepublic.BetweentherancidaccusationsofEdwardCarsonandJusticeCohalanhehadcompletelytiredoftheIrishquestion;yettherehadbeenatimewhenhisownCeltictraitswerepillarsofhispersonalphilosophy.
