d
Paris from every pore. She had already surrounded herself with odds and
ends of her own, with books and a few flowers. If only this venture
turned out well, how delightful would be the next few months. Hadria did
not clearly look beyond that time. To her, it seemed like a century. Her
only idea as to the farther future was an abstract resolve to let
nothing short of absolute compulsion persuade her to renounce her
freedom, or subject herself to conditions that made the pursuit of her
art impossible. How to carry out the resolve, in fact and detail, was a
matter to consider when the time came. If one were to consider future
difficulties as well as deal with immediate ones, into what crannies and
interstices were the affairs of the moment to be crammed?

There has probably never been a human experience of even a few months of
perfect happiness, of perfect satisfaction with conditions, even among
the few men and women who know how to appreciate the bounty of Fate,
when she is generous, and to take the sting out of minor annoyances by
treating them lightly. Hadria was ready to shrug her shoulders at
legions of these, so long as the main current of her purpose were not
diverted. But she could not steel herself against the letters that she
received from England.

Everyone was deeply injured but bravely bearing up. Her family was a
stricken and sorrowing family. Being naturally heroic, it said little
but thought the more. Relations whose names Hadria scarcely remembered,
seemed to have waked up at the news of her departure and claimed their
share of the woe. Obscure Temperleys raised astounded heads and
mourned. Henriette wrote that she was really annoyed at the way in which
everybody was talking about Hadria's conduct. It was most uncomfortable.
She hoped Hadria was able to be happy. Hubert was ready to forgive her
and to receive her back, in spite of everything. Henriette entreated her
to return; for her own sake, for Hubert's sake, for the children's. They
were just going off to school, poor little boys. Henriette, although so
happy at the Red House, was terribly grieved at this sad misunderstanding.
It seemed so strange, so distressing. Henriette had thoroughly enjoyed
looking after dear Hubert and the sweet children. They were in splendid
health. She had been very particular about hygiene. Hubert and she had
seen a good deal of the Engletons lately. How charming Lady Engleton was!
So much tact. She was advanced in her