Of course, though, there are some
exceptions.' She smiled amiably. 'Aylmer tells me you have two
children; very sweet of you, I'm sure. What darling pets they must be!
Angels!--Angels! Oh, I'm so fond of children! But, particularly--isn't
it funny?--when they're not there, because I can't stand their noise.
Now my little grandchildren--my daughter Eva's been married ten
years--Lady Lindley, you know--hers are perfect pets and heavenly
angels, but I can't stand them for more than a few minutes at a time. I
have nerves, so much so, do you know (partly because I go in a good
deal for music and intellect and so on), so much so, that I very nearly
had a rest cure at the end of last season, and I should have had,
probably, but that new young French singer came over with a letter of
introduction to me, and of course I couldn't desert him, but had to do
my very best. Ever heard him sing? Yes, you would, of course. Oh, how
wonderful it is!'
Edith waited in vain for a pause to say she didn't know the name of the
singer. Lady Everard went on, leaning comfortably back in Aylmer's
arm-chair.
'Willie Cricker dances very prettily, too; he came to one of my
evenings and had quite a success. Only an amateur, of course; but
rather nice. However, like all amateurs he wants to perform only when
people would rather he didn't, and when they want him to he won't; he
refuses. That's the amateur all over. The professional comes up to the
scratch when wanted and stops when the performance is not required.
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