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PARTISAN REVIEW
laugh that would stand up, he was thinking. The meal ended rather
sooner than they expected. He was afraid she was going to cry. So
was she.
This time weeks passed, and she telephoned him to ask, "What
do you think, is it really a good idea for us all to spend a cozy
weekend?"
"Why not? We are all going to be seeing each other about this
and that, I suppose."
"I bow to your superior worldly wisdom."
"Anyway, it is a very pretty place. I'm sure you'll like it."
She laughed. At him. He joined in.
It was a pretty place. Within five minutes of each other,
he from London, she from Manchester, they drove off the main road
through increasingly narrow lanes, until there was a large and old
building with an arch in it, leading to a courtyard, between other,
scattered buildings. The "cottage" was in fact a shabby but com–
modious enough house with windows on to the courtyard, and
through one of them Henry and Angela were visible, sitting at a
table. First Sebastian, and then, more timidly, Jody, advanced to
this window past plants in tubs and a sleeping collie, and presented
themselves to the couple who energetically waved and smiled and
begged them to come in. As Sebastian reached the door to the kit–
chen, Angela ran to embrace him, kiss kiss hug hug, oh darling
Sebastian, while Henry affably smiled and turned half away, and
when Jody appeared, immediately afterwards, Henry went to her
and held her tight. "Sweetie," he said and, his head bent beside hers,
he whispered welcomes. Angela, beside Sebastian (their arms
around each other still), observed this without turning away, and on
her face appeared the fleetest shadow of loss.
Then Angela and Henry left their respective loved ones, and
began whisking plates and glasses off the table. They stood side by
side, backs to the sink, smiling.
Angela was a small, pretty woman, with masses of dark curly
hair, and a sprightly amused air which did not leave her as she said
enthusiastically to J ody, "I am so glad you are here. Really, it is
ridiculous we haven't met long before. I kept saying so, didn't I
Henry?"
"Yes, you did, but it never seemed appropriate," said Henry.
He was a large, dark, amiable fellow, with a ruddy face, but this last
was from the wine he and Angela had been drinking. Seen there,
