[Our Friend the Charlatan by George Gissing]@TWC D-Link book
Our Friend the Charlatan

CHAPTER XII
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On arriving, he found with surprise that he was the sole guest.
"I wanted to have a real talk with you," said the hostess, as she received him in her magnificent drawing-room.

"I have been thinking a great deal about things you said at Rivenoak." Her fire of glances perceived that the young man, though agreeably touched and full of expectancy, was to a certain extent on his guard.
He, too, no doubt, had power of reading faces, of discerning motives.
She did not desire him to be too facile a victim of cajolery; it would take from the interest she felt in his ambitions.

At table, they talked at first of bio-sociology, Mrs.Toplady, with the adroitness which distinguished her, seeming thoroughly to grasp a subject of which she knew nothing, and which, if she had tried to think about it, would have bored her unspeakably.

But she soon diverged to things personal, spoke of people whom she wished Lashmar to meet, and asked whether a date she had in mind would suit his convenience.
"I think you know Lord Dymchurch ?" "Very well," answered Dyce, blandly.
"I should like to meet him I have heard he is most interesting." "He certainly is," said Lashmar, "but no man is so hard to get hold of.
I never ventured to try to take him anywhere; he very much dislikes meeting strangers." "Tell me about him, will you ?" Dyce could speak only of Lord Dymchurch's personal and mental characteristics; of his circumstances he knew nothing more than could be gathered from rumour.
"Let me make a suggestion," said Mrs.Toplady, with a flatteringly intimate air.

"Suppose you give a quiet little dinner to a few of your friends, say at one of the restaurants.


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