Howard loved
monotony, and in the little Windlow party he found everything that
he desired. At first it all rather amused him, because he felt as
though he were acting in a charming and absurd play, and he was
delighted to see Maud act her wedded part. Mrs. Graves frankly
enjoyed seeing people of any sort or kind. But Howard gradually
began to find that the arrival of county and clerical neighbours
was a really tiresome thing. Local gossip was unintelligible to him
and did not interest him. Moreover, the necessity of going out to
luncheon, and even to dinner, bored him horribly. He said once
rather pettishly to Maud, after a week of constant interruptions
and little engagements, that he hoped that this sort of thing would
not continue.
"It seems to knock everything on the head," he went on; "these
country idylls are all very well in their way; but when it comes to
entertaining parties day by day, who 'sit simply chatting in a
rustic row,' it becomes intolerable. It doesn't MEAN anything; one
can't get to know these people; if there is anything to know, they
seem to think it polite to conceal it; it can't be a duty to waste
all the time that this takes up?"
Maud laughed and said, "Oh, you must forgive them; they haven't
much to do or talk about, and you are a great excitement; and you
are really very good to them!"
Howard made a grimace. "It's my wretched habit of civility!" he
said. "But really, Maud, you can't LIKE them?"
"Yes, I believe I do," said Maud.
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