And meanwhile the lady of the feathers was seen nightly in Piccadilly.
And Julian went his way steadily downwards.
* * * * *
One night there was a flicker of snow over London, and the air was chill
with the breath of coming winter. The dreary light of snow illumined the
faces of all who walked in the streets, painting the brightest cheeks
with a murky grey pigment, and making the sweetest eyes hollow and
expressive of depression. Heavily the afternoon went by and the evening
came sharply, like a blow.
Dr. Levillier was engaged to dine with Julian and Valentine at the
former's rooms in Mayfair. Of late Valentine had seemed to seek him
out, and especially to enjoy seeing him in the company of Julian. And
the doctor fancied he detected something of a triumph that was almost
blatant in Valentine's manner when they three were together, and when the
doctor's eyes rested sorrowfully upon that crumbling wall, which had once
been so fair and strong. Of late, too, the doctor, ever watching for the
signs of change in Valentine, had grown more and more aware that he was
an utterly, through and through, different man from the youth men had
called the Saint of Victoria Street. He felt the transformation to be
inhuman, and, by slow and reluctant degrees, he was beginning to form
an opinion.
Pages:
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492