Then also
it had gone about that the mysterious Indian, who had been seen now and
then during the last week, was actually staying with Mrs Lucas, and why
was he not here? More unconjecturable yet, though not so thrillingly
interesting, was the absence of Mr Georgie. What could have happened
to him, that he was not flitting about on his hostess's errands, and
being the life and soul of the party? It was in vain that Mrs Antrobus
plodded on her methodical course, seeking answers to all these riddles,
and that Mrs Weston in her swifter progression dashed about in her
bath-chair from group to group, wherever people seemed to be talking in
an animated manner. She could learn nothing, and Mrs Antrobus could
learn nothing, in fact the only information to be had on the subject
was what Mrs Weston herself supplied. She had a very high-coloured
handsome face, and an extremely impressive manner, as if she was
imparting information of the very highest importance. She naturally
spoke in a loud, clear voice, so that she had not got to raise it much
even when she addressed Mrs Antrobus. Her wealth of discursive detail
was absolutely unrivalled, and she was quite the best observer in
Riseholme.
"The last I saw of Miss Bracely," she said exactly as if she had been
told to describe something on oath in the witness-box, "was a little
after half-past one today. It must have been after half-past because
when I got home it was close on a quarter to two, and I wasn't a
hundred yards from my house when I saw her.
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