Міжнародний епізод

           Thesevariousapertureshad,incommon,suchanaccessible,hospitableair,suchabreezyflutterwithinoflightcurtains,suchexpansivethresholdsandreassuringinteriors,thatourfriendshardlyknewwhichwastheregularentrance,and,afterhesitatingamoment,presentedthemselvesatoneofthewindows.Theroomwithinwasdark,butinamomentagracefulfigurevaguelyshapeditselfintherich-lookinggloom,andaladycametomeetthem.Thentheysawthatshehadbeenseatedatatablewriting,andthatshehadheardthemandhadgotup.Shesteppedoutintothelight;sheworeafrank,charmingsmile,withwhichsheheldoutherhandtoPercyBeaumont.“Oh,youmustbeLordLambethandMr.Beaumont,”shesaid.“Ihaveheardfrommyhusbandthatyouwouldcome.Iamextremelygladtoseeyou.”Andsheshookhandswitheachofhervisitors.Hervisitorswerealittleshy,buttheyhadverygoodmanners;theyrespondedwithsmilesandexclamations,andtheyapologizedfornotknowingthefrontdoor.Theladyrejoined,withvivacity,thatwhenshewantedtoseepeopleverymuchshedidnotinsistuponthosedistinctions,andthatMr.WestgatehadwrittentoherofhisEnglishfriendsintermsthatmadeherreallyanxious.“Hesaidyouweresoterriblyprostrated,”saidMrs.Westgate.“Oh,youmeanbytheheat?”repliedPercyBeaumont.“Wewereratherknockedup,butwefeelwonderfullybetter.Wehadsuchajolly—a—voyagedownhere.It’ssoverygoodofyoutomind.”“Yes,it’ssoverykindofyou,”murmuredLordLambeth.Mrs.Westgatestoodsmiling;shewasextremelypretty.