We went on eating awhile in silence.
Frith stood behind my chair.
We were all thinking of one thing, but because of Frith we had to keep up our little performance.
I suppose Frith was thinking about it too, and I thought how much easier it would be if we cast aside convention and let him join in with us, if he had anything to say.
Robert came with the drinks.
Our plates were changed. The second course was handed.
Mrs Danvers had not forgotten my wish for hot food.
I took something out of a casserole covered in mushroom sauce.
'I think everyone enjoyed your wonderful party the other night,' said Colonel Julyan.
'I'm so glad,' I said.
'Does an immense amount of good locally, that sort of thing,' he said.
'Yes, I suppose it does,' I said.
'It's a universal instinct of the human species, isn't it, that desire to dress up in some sort of disguise?' said Frank.
'I must be very inhuman, then,' said Maxim.
'It's natural, I suppose,' said Colonel Julyan, 'for all of us to wish to look different.
We are all children in some ways.'
I wondered how much pleasure it had given him to disguise himself as Cromwell.
I had not seen much of him at the ball.
He had spent most of the evening in the morning-room, playing bridge.
'You don't play golf, do you, Mrs de Winter?' said Colonel Julyan.
'No, I'm afraid I don't,' I said.
'You ought to take it up,' he said.
'My eldest girl is very keen, and she can't find young people to play with her.
I gave her a small car for her birthday, and she drives herself over to the north coast nearly every day.
It gives her something to do.'
'How nice,' I said.
'She ought to have been the boy,' he said.
'My lad is different altogether.
No earthly use at games.
Always writing poetry.
I suppose he'll grow out of it.'
'Oh, rather,' said Frank.
'I used to write poetry myself when I was his age.
Awful nonsense too.
I never write any now.'
'Good heavens, I should hope not,' said Maxim.
'I don't know where my boy gets it from,' said Colonel Julyan; 'certainly not from his mother or from me.'
There was another long silence.
Colonel Julyan had a second dip into the casserole.
'Mrs Lacy looked very well the other night,' he said.
'Yes,' I said.
'Her dress came adrift as usual,' said Maxim.
'Those Eastern garments must be the devil to manage,' said Colonel Julyan, 'and yet they say, you know, they are far more comfortable and far cooler than anything you ladies wear in England.'
'Really?' I said.
'Yes, so they say.
It seems all that loose drapery throws off the hot rays of the sun.'
'How curious,' said Frank; 'you'd think it would have just the opposite effect.' 'No, apparently not,' said Colonel Julyan. 'Do you know the East, sir?' said Frank.
'I know the Far East,' said Colonel Julyan.
'I was in China for five years.
Then Singapore.'