Georgie sighed too, and Lucia sighed; they all sighed, and then Lucia
began again. So Peppino closed his eyes again, and Georgie continued
his mental analysis of the situation.
At present, so he concluded, Lucia did not mean war. She meant, as by
some great armed demonstration, to exhibit the Riseholme spirit in its
full panoply, and then crush into dazzled submission any potential
rivalry. She meant also to exert an educational influence, for she
allowed that Olga had great gifts, and she meant to train and refine
those gifts so that they might, when exercised under benign but
autocratic supervision, conduce to the strength and splendour of
Riseholme. Naturally she must be loyally and ably assisted, and Georgie
realized that the tableau of King Cophetua (his tableau as she had
said) partook of the nature of a bribe, and, if that word was
invidious, of a raising of his pay. It was equally certain that this
prolonged recital of slow movements was intended to produce in his mind
a vivid consciousness of the contrast between the romp last night and
the present tranquil hour, and it did not fail in this respect.
Lucia shut the piano-lid, and almost before they had given their sighs,
spoke.
"I think I will have a little dinner-party first," she said. "I will
ask Lady Ambermere. That will make us four, with you Georgie, and Miss
Bracely and Mr Shuttleworth will make six.
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