To them he had always remained Mr. Arundel; no one called him
Ferdinand; and he only knew the gossip also available to the evening
papers and the frequenters of clubs. But he was, however, good at
inventing; and as soon as he had come to an end of first-hand
knowledge, in order to answer her inquires and keep her there to
himself he proceeded to invent. It was quite easy to fasten some of
the entertaining things he was constantly thinking on to other people
and pretend they were theirs. Scrap, who had that affection for her
parents which warms in absence, was athirst for news, and became more
and more interested by the news he gradually imparted.
At first it was ordinary news. He had met her mother here, and
seen her there. She looked very well; she said so and so. But
presently the things Lady Droitwich had said took on an unusual
quality: they became amusing.
"Mother said that?" Scrap interrupted, surprised.
And presently Lady Droitwich began to do amusing things as well
as say them.
"Mother did that?" Scrap inquired, wide-eyed.
Arundel warmed to his work. He fathered some of the most
entertaining ideas he had lately had on to Lady Droitwich, and also any
charming funny things that had been done--or might have been done, for he
could imagine almost anything.
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