Free Outbreak of Love by Martin Boyd Page B

the most exacting part of the entertainment was over.
    There were light refreshments, champagne and coffee, at this stage. The real supper was not to be until later in the evening, after Wolfie had played his third prelude. Everyone stood up and began to move towards the buffet in the billiard room. In the doorway the twins became jammed close to Arthur.
    â€œWell, my dear,” he said to Anthea, “did you enjoy yourself amongst the saplings?” He was again posing as the virile man above susceptibility to aesthetic impressions.
    â€œI was drenched to the skin,” said Anthea.
    In the hall we ran into Aunt Baba, our socially ambitious relative, who, to appear smart, had deliberately chosen to go first to the theatre.
    â€œGood evening, Mr Langton,” she said to Arthur, addressing him in this way as she thought it was not smart to have relatives. “I hope the music’s over. I couldn’t listen for an hour to von Flugel playing. I prefer the jam without the pill.”
    Cousin Sophie, standing near, overheard this. Whatever her personal opinion of Wolfie, she could not endure that culture should be openly disparaged by the vulgar. She turned and said:
    â€œThat is a pity, as your mind is in greater need of nourishment than your body.”
    There was a gasp from those who heard, and only Baba gave a dismayed titter. She had lived for twenty years in dread that Sophie might one day turn and crush her with the whole weight of her social power, and now it had happened. It was true that she had asked for it, but life would be intolerable if we were given all we asked for. And Cousin Sophie, for all her culture, had done the most uncivilized thing possible, she had used the full extent of her force against Baba, whose armour was a pitiful and contrived affair. This perhaps was where she showed that Teutonism of which Lady Eileen had complained, and which later was exhibited in different forms, not only by Freddie, but by Wolfie, by Baba herself, and supremely by Mrs Montaubyn. Arthur, who admired Sophie, looked grieved and noble, and Diana who also heard the snub was indignant, and gave Baba a glance of sympathy, which brought Baba’s Teutonism at once into play. She only respected power, and mostly when it was indicated by wealth. She recognized that Sophie had the power, and therefore she believed the right, to snub her. She was dismayed, but thought that her misfortune was due to a proper natural order. She was infuriated by Diana’s glance of sympathy. Diana was poor. Diana had no power. Her sympathy was an affront and Baba determined at the first opportunity to “get even with her”.
    In the billiard room Baba stood at one end of the buffet talking loudly and brightly, like someone showing courage after they have been run over in the street. At the other end Sophie was quietly discussing the preludes with Lady Pringle, and was quite indifferent to the moral havoc she had just created.
    I was caught by Mildy and had to bring her a tiny glass of champagne, and Miss Bath a whisky and soda. When we returned to the ballroom for the last prelude I could not escape, and had to sit between them.
    By now the party had livened up. This was partly due to the refreshments, and a little to the fact that the news of Sophie’s snub had spread and had caused a slight atmosphere of malicious excitement. Lady Pringle again stood by the piano and now everyone musical or otherwise, was prepared to be amused by her references to saplings and showers.
    â€œMr von Flugel’s last prelude,” she said, “is the longest, and I think the most important. I must explain that I have not consulted him about my little talks. They are just my personal interpretation. I hope that I am not taking too great a liberty.” She bowed to Wolfie, who rolled his eyes at her, delighted that anyone should be talking about his music, whatever they said.
    â€œThis prelude reminds me,” she went on,