She hesitated, looked fixedly at her son as if considering her next words, then concluded, rather lamely:
“But you’ll see.”
She opened her novel and began to read and Adrian also busied himself with the evening paper; and presently the station was reached and they left the train.
A carriage was in waiting for them, driven by men in livery, and altogether quite smart enough to warrant his mother’s satisfaction as they stepped into it and were whirled away to the prison.
But as he had been forewarned, there was no suggestion of anything repulsive in the charming apartments they entered, and his sister’s greeting was sufficiently affectionate to make him feel that he had misjudged her in the past.
All the guests were in dinner dress and Adrian was appointed to take in his own mother, Kate having decided that this would be a happy surprise to both parties. They had been the last to arrive and as soon as greetings were over the meal was immediately served; but on their way toward the dining-room, Mrs. Wadislaw pressed her son’s arm and nodded significantly toward the leader of the palm-hidden orchestra.
“Take a look at that man.”
“Yes. Who is he?”
“A convict, life sentence. Number 526. He plays divinely, violin. But——”