第51章

andlatelythethoughthadcometohimthatperhapsIreneknewshewasbeingshadowed：Itwasthiswhichfinallydecidedhimtogoandseeforhimself；togoandoncemoretrytobreakdownherrepugnance，herrefusaltomakeherownandhispathcomparativelysmoothoncemore。Ifhefailedagain——well，hewouldseewhatshedidwithherself，anyway！

HewenttoanhotelintheRueCaumartin，highlyrecommendedtoForsytes，wherepracticallynobodyspokeFrench。Hehadformednoplan。Hedidnotwanttostartleher；yetmustcontrivethatshehadnochancetoevadehimbyflight。Andnextmorninghesetoutinbrightweather。

Parishadanairofgaiety，asparkleoveritsstar-shapewhichalmostannoyedSoames。Hesteppedgravely，hisnoseliftedalittlesidewaysinrealcuriosity。HedesirednowtounderstandthingsFrench。WasnotAnnetteFrench?Therewasmuchtobegotoutofhisvisit，ifhecouldonlygetit。InthislaudablemoodandthePlacedelaConcordehewasnearlyrundownthreetimes。

Hecameonthe’CourslaReine，’whereIrene’shotelwassituated，almosttoosuddenly，forhehadnotyetfixedonhisprocedure。

Crossingovertotheriverside，henotedthebuilding，whiteandcheerful-looking，withgreensunblinds，seenthroughascreenofplane-treeleaves。And，consciousthatitwouldbefarbettertomeethercasuallyinsomeopenplacethantoriskacall，hesatdownonabenchwhencehecouldwatchtheentrance。Itwasnotquiteeleveno’clock，andimprobablethatshehadyetgoneout。

Somepigeonswerestruttingandpreeningtheirfeathersinthepoolsofsunlightbetweentheshadowsoftheplane-trees。A

workmaninablueblousepassed，andthrewthemcrumbsfromthepaperwhichcontainedhisdinner。A’bonne’coiffedwithribbonshepherdedtwolittlegirlswithpig-tailsandfrilleddrawers。A

cabmeanderedby，whosecocherworeabluecoatandablack-glazedhat。ToSoamesakindofaffectationseemedtoclingaboutitall，asortofpicturesquenesswhichwasoutofdate。Atheatricalpeople，theFrench！Helitoneofhisrarecigarettes，withasenseofinjurythatFateshouldbecastinghislifeintoout-

landishwaters。Heshouldn’twonderifIrenequiteenjoyedthisforeignlife；shehadneverbeenproperlyEnglish——eventolookat！

Andhebeganconsideringwhichofthosewindowscouldbehersunderthegreensunblinds。Howcouldhewordwhathehadcometosaysothatitmightpiercethedefenceofherproudobstinacy?Hethrewthefag-endofhiscigaretteatapigeon，withthethought：’I

can’tstayhereforevertwiddlingmythumbs。Bettergiveitupandcallonherinthelateafternoon。’Buthestillsaton，heardtwelvestrike，andthenhalf-past。’I’llwaittillone，’hethought，’whileI’maboutit。’Butjustthenhestartedup，andshrinkinglysatdownagain。Awomanhadcomeoutinacream-

colouredfrock，andwasmovingawayunderafawn-colouredparasol。

Ireneherself！Hewaitedtillshewastoofarawaytorecognisehim，thensetoutafterher。Shewasstrollingasthoughshehadnoparticularobjective；moving，ifherememberedrightly，towardtheBoisdeBoulogne。Forhalfanhouratleasthekepthisdistanceonthe

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