Chapter 20

Sixteen passed by with many other things much more disturbing
and important to the world than a girl's birthday; seventeen was
gone, with passing events more complicated still and increasingly
significant, but even the owners of the hands hovering over the
Chessboard, which was the Map of Europe, did not keep a watch on
all of them as close as might have been kept with advantage. Girls
in their teens are seldom interested in political and diplomatic
conditions, and Robin was not fond of newspapers. She worked well
and steadily under Mademoiselle's guidance, and her governess
realized that she was not losing sight of her plans for self
support. She was made aware of this by an occasional word or so,
and also by a certain telepathic union between them. Little as she
cared for the papers, the child had a habit of closely examining
the advertisements every day. She read faithfully the columns
devoted to those who "Want" employment or are "Wanted" by employers.

"I look at all the paragraphs which begin 'Wanted, a young lady'
or a 'young woman' or a 'young person,' and those which say that
'A young person' or 'a young woman' or 'a young lady' desires a
position. I want to find out what is oftenest needed."

She had ceased to be disturbed by the eyes which followed her,
or opened a little as she passed. She knew that nothing had come
undone or was crooked and that untidiness had nothing to do with
the matter. She accepted being looked at as a part of everyday
life. A certain friendliness and pleasure in most of the glances she
liked and was glad of. Sometimes men of the flushed, middle-aged
or elderly type displeased her by a sort of boldness of manner
and gaze, bet she thought that they were only silly, giddy, old
things who ought to go home to their families and stay with than.
Mademoiselle or Dowie was nearly always with her, but, as she was
not a French jemme fille, this was not because it was supposed
that she could not be trusted out alone, but because she enjoyed
their affectionate companionship.

There was one man, however, whom she greatly disliked, as young
girls will occasionally dislike a member of the opposite sex for
no special reason they can wholly explain to themselves.

He was an occasional visitor of her mother's--a personable young
Prussian officer of high rank and title. He was blonde and military
and good-looking; he brought his bearing and manner from the Court
at Berlin, and the click of his heels as he brought them smartly
together, when he made his perfect automatic bow, was one of the
things Robin knew she was reasonless in feeling she detested in
him.

"It makes me feel as if he was not merely bowing as a a man who