Gianapolis, the cherubic,
radiantly presided.
XIII
THE DRAFT ON PARIS
For close upon a month Soames performed the duties imposed upon him
in the household of Henry Leroux. He was unable to discover, despite
a careful course of inquiry from the cook and the housemaid, that Mrs.
Leroux frequently absented herself. But the servants were newly engaged,
for the flat in Palace Mansions had only recently been leased by the
Leroux. He gathered that they had formerly lived much abroad, and that
their marriage had taken place in Paris. Mrs. Leroux had been to visit
a friend in the French capital once, he understood, since the housemaid
had been in her employ.
The mistress (said the housemaid) did not care twopence-ha'penny for her
husband; she had married him for his money, and for nothing else. She
had had an earlier love (declared the cook) and was pining away to a
mere shadow because of her painful memories. During the last six months
(the period of the cook's service) Mrs. Leroux had altered out of all
recognition. The cook was of opinion that she drank secretly.
Of Mr. Leroux, Soames formed the poorest opinion. He counted him a
spiritless being, whose world was bounded by his book-shelves, and whose
wife would be a fool if she did not avail herself of the liberty which
his neglect invited her to enjoy.
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