Page:The Fruit of the Tree (Wharton 1907).djvu/46

Rh her own writing-case, which was now outspread before her in all its complex neatness; but at Bessy’s appeal she wiped her pen, and turned a sympathetic gaze on her companion.

Mrs. Ansell’s face drew all its charm from its adaptability. It was a different face to each speaker: now kindling with irony, now gently maternal, now charged with abstract meditation—and few paused to reﬂect that, in each case, it was merely the mirror held up to some one else’s view of life.

“It needs doing over,” she admitted, following the widow’s melancholy glance about the room. “But you are a spoilt child to complain. Think of having a house of your own to come to, instead of having to put up at the Hanaford hotel!”

Mrs. Westmore’s attention was arrested by the ﬁrst part of the reply.

“Doing over? Why in the world should I do it over? No one could expect me to come here now—could they, Mr. Tredegar?” she exclaimed, transferring her appeal to the fourth member of the party.

Mr. Tredegar, the family lawyer, who had deemed it his duty to accompany the widow on her visit of inspection, was strolling up and down the room with short pompous steps, a cigar between his lips, and his arms behind him. He cocked his sparrow-like head, scanned the offending apartment, and terminated his [ 34 ]