.. for he was old and a failure ... and I was young and
could still look forward to success.
My unexpected dropping-in at Eos created quite a stir.
Spalton welcomed me back, and stood, that evening, before the fire in
the sitting room, with his arm about my shoulder ... even as he did so I
remembered the picture taken of him and the celebrated poet L'Estrange,
together ... their arms about each other's shoulders ... and the current
Eos proverb, that Spalton always quarrelled not long after with anyone
about whose shoulder he first cast his arm.
* * * * *
Already a change was manifest in the little community. Tabled off by
themselves sat the workers and the folk of the studios, that night.
While the guests who stayed at the inn occupied separate tables.
And there were many secret complaints about a woman they referred to as
"Dorothy" ... Dorothy had done this ... Dorothy had done that ...
Dorothy would be the ruination of "the shop" ... it would have been
better if she had never shown up at the Eos Studios....
I asked who was Dorothy....
"Don't you know ... we thought you did ... Spalton's new wife ... the
one his first wife got a divorce from him for?"
And I heard the story, part of which I knew, but not the final details.
Spalton's first wife had been an easy-going, amiable creature ... fair
and pretty in a soft, female way .
Pages:
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336