Lady Chiltern in her time had refused to be Lady
Fawn. Mme. Goesler in her time had declined to marry an English peer.
There was, therefore, something more of interest in the conversation to
each of them than was quite expressed in the words spoken. "Is she to be
at your party on Friday, Lady Glencora?" asked Mme. Goesler.
"She has said she would come, and so has Lord Fawn; for that matter, Lord
Fawn dines with us. She'll find that out, and then she'll stay away."
"Not she," said Lady Chiltern. "She'll come for the sake of the bravado.
She's not the woman to show the white feather."
"If he's ill-using her she's quite right," said Mme. Goesler.
"And wear the very diamonds in dispute," said Lady Chiltern. It was thus
that the matter was discussed among ladies in the town.
"Is Fawn's marriage going on?" This question was asked of Mr. Legge Wilson
by Barrington Erle. Mr. Legge Wilson was the Secretary of State for India,
and Barrington Erle was in the Government.
"Upon my word I don't know," said Mr. Wilson. "The work goes on at the
office; that's all I know about Fawn. He hasn't told me of his marriage,
and therefore I haven't spoken to him about it.
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