"We do nothing," she replied. "Talk; and sometimes Lady Lathkill reads."
"What does she read?"
"About spiritualism."
"Sounds pretty dull."
She looked at me again, but she did not answer. It was difficult to get anything out of her. She put up no fight, only remained in the same swarthy, passive, negative resistance. For a moment I wondered that no men made love to her: it was obvious they didn't. But then, modern young men are accustomed to being attracted, flattered, impressed: they expect an effort to please. And Mrs. Hale made none: didn't know how. Which for me was her mystery. She was passive, static, locked up in a resistant passivity that had fire beneath it.
Lord Lathkill came and sat by us. The Colonel's confession had had an effect on him.
"I'm afraid," he said to Mrs. Hale, "you have a thin time here."
"Why?" she asked.
"Oh, there is so little to amuse you. Do you like to dance?"
"Yes," she said.