thevineyard
paths
on
the
hillside
agreeably
sultry
.
You
may
get
warm
there
in
time
—
heaven
knows
,
I
shall
get
so
soon
enough
.
We
can
but
try
.
”
Under
the
plane-trees
the
lusty
infant
,
backing
away
from
its
own
spadeful
of
pebbles
,
came
into
violent
collision
with
my
companion
's
long
legs
.
Involuntarily
it
assumed
a
sitting
position
with
,
to
itself
,
unexpected
rapidity
and
force
.
Leversedge
stooped
down
and
picked
up
the
baby
,
which
,
by
no
means
disconcerted
by
its
sudden
elevation
,
continued
to
send
forth
prehistoric
cries
of
unalloyed
cheerfulness
.
“
You
're
a
nice
,
promising
little
chap
,
”
Leversedge
remarked
.
Whereat
the
baby
ceased
its
calling
,
contemplated
him
from
under
its
flapping
sun-hat
with
owl-like
solemnity
,
decided
in
his
favour
,
and
pouted
out
a
round
moist
mouth
for
a
kiss
.
I
own
to
a
movement
of
accentuated
embarrassment
in
the
face
of
such
frank
infantile
advances
.
Not
so
Leversedge
.
He
planted
a
very
square
kiss
on
the
pouting
lips
.
“
Dear
little
chap
,
kind
little
chap
,
”
he
murmured
.
The
nurse
advanced
flurried
and
apologetic
.
“
Master
So-and-so
,
”
for
this
creature
,
a
span
long
,
already
apparently
possessed
both
a
name
and
rank
of
its
own
—
“
never
minded
where
he
was
going
.
”
“
Oh
!
well
,
he
went
most
uncommonly
right
this
time
,
anyhow
,
”
Leversedge
answered
,
as
he
gave
the
child
carefully
back
into
her
arms
.
He
walked
on
at
rather
a
breathless
pace
.
“
Hammond
,
”
he
said
presently
,
“
you
know
we
're
to
be
married
to-morrow
.
That
is
,
half-married
—
before
the
Consul
at
Geneva
.
I
'm
almost
ashamed
to
ask
you
;
it
will
be
a
long
way
there
and
back
,
and
I
am
afraid
you
'll
be
awfully
bored
,
but
,
look
here
,
I
should
be
tremendously
grateful
to
you
if
you
'd
come
.
”
“
Of
course
,
”
I
replied
,
“
I
will
come
.
”
“
That
's
very
good
of
you
,
”
he
said
.
“
I
know
Charlotte
will
be
immensely
pleased
at
your
coming
.
She
told
me
she
'd
spoken
to
you
about
it
.
She
had
a
little
talk
with
you
yesterday
.
”
“
So
she
did
,
so
she
had
,
”
I
answered
.
And
,
good
gracious
,
about
how
many
surprisingly
other
matters
had
she
not
spoken
in
the
course
of
that
same
little
talk
?
Amazing
Charlotte
Perry
,
who
from
her
childhood
,
as
her
mother
reported
,
had
“
never
cried
”
!
In
spirit
I
yearned
over
Leversedge
.
How
,
in
the
name
of
fortune
,
would
it
all
turn
out
?
We
went
for
our
walk
.
The
paths
between
the
vineyard
walls
were
basting
.
I
have
reason
to
believe
that
I
lost
many
pounds
during
that
walk
.
And
Leversedge
talked
of
South
Africa
;
of
elephants
,
ostriches
,
and
diamond
fields
;
of
Imperial
Federation
;
of
the
very
nasty
habits
of
the
noble
savage
.
He
was
really
amusing
upon
the
latter
subject
.
Of
all
practical
jokers
the
savage
,
upon
his
showing
,
is
the
most
professional
,
the
most
advanced
.
During
the
whole
time
he
mentioned
(
putting
,
as
I
fancied
,
a
pretty
strong
force
upon
himself
)
neither
his
approaching
marriage
nor
his
diabolic
dog
.
To
luncheon
,
Perry
père
—
who
,
it
may
be
noted
in
passing
,
had
,
by
the
exercise
of
some
diplomacy
,
secured
to
himself
the
seat
at
the
head
of
the
long
table-d'hôte
—
did
not
return
;
and
Leversedge
,
in
obedience
of
a
gentle
command
on
the
part
of
the
Carissima
,
occupied
his
place
.
The
spaces
between
the
windows
of
the
great
,
cool
dining-room
,
and
the
inside
wall
of
it
,
were
freely
incrusted
with
plaques
of
looking-glass
.
From
my
station
halfway
down
the
room
—
I
invariably
indulge
myself
with
a
separate
table
when
staying
in
hotels
—
I
could
see
Leversedge
's
bright
dark
head
and
beard
and
somewhat
deathly
profile
reflected
back
and
forth
,
apparently
endlessly
,
to
right
and
left
;
on
one
side
of
him
the
charming
face
and
brilliant
colouring
of
his
fiancée
,
on
the
other
the
worthy
clock-moon
countenance
of
his
future
mother-in-law
.
Miss
Perry
talked
softly
to
him
;
her
manner
was
delicious
,
most
engaging
,
winning
,
and
modest
;
and
he
listened
to
her
,
watched
her
,
with
a
sort
of
rapture
.
He
also
,
I
believe
,
drank
a
whole
bottle
of
champagne
;
but
,
so
far
as
I
could
discover
,
he
ate
nothing
,
and
I
knew
he
was
still
cold
,
cold
as
a
corpse
.
PHASE
FOURTH
CHAPTER
I
“
THIS
is
jocund
,
”
cried
Mr.
Perry
,
when
I
met
him
in
the
hall
next
morning
.
In
honour
of
impending
events
he
was
clothed
distinctly
as
a
citizen
,
in
a
shiny
black-cloth
frock
coat
and
a
tall
hat
—
which
last
he
put
on
and
took
off
again
with
rather
feverish
uncertainty
.
This
might
be
jocund
,
yet
I
am
bound
to
confess
I
found
his
appearance
highly
suggestive
of
that
of
a
successful
undertaker
.
In
manner
he
was
varied
,
spry
in
the
main
,
but
lapsing
into
reticence
,
self-recollection
,
even
austerity
.
“
My
ladies
will
be
with
us
directly
.
At
least
,
if
they
're
not
I
'll
just
run
up
in
the
lift
and
fetch
them
.
The
fair
sex
is
too
often
a
little
,
just
a
little
deficient
in
that
strict
observance
of
the
virtue
of
punctuality
,
Mr.
Hammond
,
which
the
sterner
public
duties
falling
to
our
lot
compel
us
so
rigidly
to
practise
.
Well
,
well
,
we
must
pardon
them
—
'
Tis
theirs
to
note
the
passing
of
the
hour
,
Reclined
at
ease
upon
the
low
divan
,
But
by
the
sunshine
's
waxing
,
waning
power
,
But
by
the
opening
,
closing
of
the
flower
,
The
lute
's
faint
echo
and
the
faltering
fan
As
sleep
invades
the
drooping
eyelids
'
delicate
span
,
”
recited
Mr.
Perry
,
suddenly
becoming
quite
voluptuous
and
eastern
.
—
“
And
on
an
auspicious
occasion
such
as
this
,
we
all
know
how
it
is
,
”
he
added
indulgently
,
—
“
a
bow
of
ribbon
here
,
a
trinket
there
;
just
those
supplementary
,
those
fancy
touches
,
which
the
mirror
provokes
and
from
the
multiplication
of
which
every
true
woman
finds
it
so
hard
to
tear
herself
away
.
Even
Mamma
is
vain
.
I
am
happy
to
say
so
—
upon
my
word
,
I
am
proud
to
say
so
.
For
,
that
a
woman
should
continue
to
desire
to
please
after
three
decades
of
married
life
—
though
'
tis
hardly
fair
on
Mamma
to
let
cats
out
of
bags
as
to
the
lapse
of
time
in
this
way
,
eh
?
—
shows
a
marvellous
freshness
of
sentiment
,
of
what
I
may
call
a
wholesomeness
of
disposition
,
does
n't
it
,
Mr.
Hammond
?
”
“
Mrs.
Perry
increasingly
claims
my
respectful
admiration
,
”
I
replied
,
with
perfect
sincerity
.
“
Good
,
”
he
murmured
,
“
good
,
good
.
Occasions
such
as
that
which
brings
us
together
this
morning
—
and
most
happy
I
am
,
I
'm
sure
,
to
be
brought
together
—
inevitably
carry
us
back
in
thought
and
unseal
the
fount
of
tender
memories
.
Yes
,
I
am
glad
to
record
my
hearty
conviction
that
I
was
not
in
error
when
I
invited
her
,
whom
you
now
know
as
Susan
Perry
,
to
become
the
partner
of
my
mortal
course
.
And
it
's
not
every
husband
who
can
say
as
much
as
that
at
the
end
of
thirty
years
,
Mr.
Hammond
.
Little
ups
and
downs
,
”
he
added
archly
,
—
“
little
ups
and
downs
,
as
a
matter
of
course
;
but
on
the
whole
the
ups
have
it
.
”
Here
the
arrival
of
the
hotel
omnibus
at
the
wide-open
door
of
the
portico
,
with
much
grating
of
the
brake
and
the
jingling
of
the
fat
horses
'
collar
bells
,
claimed
Mr.
Perry
's
attention
.
He
glanced
at
his
watch
in
an
important
,
high-official
sort
of
manner
,
then
relaxed
genially
.
“
Time
yet
—
time
yet
,
”
he
said
.
“
We
can
still
afford
our
ladies
five
more
minutes
in
which
to
complete
the
mysteries
of
the
toilette
.
—
Constantine
has
preceded
us
on
foot
to
the
station
.
I
have
had
a
word
with
him
this
morning
.
He
appears
serious
;
but
that
is
as
it
should
be
.
I
,
for
one
,
would
not
have
it
otherwise
.
For
,
indeed
,
I
have
not
abstained
from
pressing
home
upon
him
frequently
,
in
familiar
conversation
,
the
very
heavy
responsibility
which
he
undertakes
in
undertaking
my
daughter
's
future
happiness
.
—
But
our
fair
companions
tarry
.
I
must
see
to
it
.
—
A
moment
to
fetch
Charlotte
and
Mamma
and
I
will
be
with
you
again
,
Mr.
Hammond
.
Au
revoir
—
a
bientôt
.
”
And
,
humming
strange
melodies
,
which
I
imagine
were
intended
to
represent
Mendelssohn
's
time-honoured
Wedding
March
,
Mr.
Perry
bestowed
himself
within
the
painted
cage
of
the
lift
,
and
was
borne
aloft
,
vanishing
god-like
in
the
upper
regions
of
the
atmosphere
.
Yet
,
after
all
,
was
it
jocund
?
I
asked
myself
this
question
many
times
as
we
set
forth
,
a
self-conscious
and
ill-assorted
little
band
,
upon
the
morning
of
that
particularly
grilling
September
day
.
For
clearly
,
to
my
thinking
,
it
would
have
been
far
better
had
we
proceeded
in
detachments
—
Leversedge
and
myself
by
boat
and
the
others
by
train
,
or
vice
versâ
.
I
cannot
think
it
fair
to
keep
a
man
constantly
under
inspection
when
he
is
just
about
to
condemn
himself
to
that
form
of
life-sentence
commonly
known
as
marriage
.
And
the
disadvantages
of
the
bridegroom
's
position
were
aggravated
,
in
the
present
instance
,
by
the
fact
that
this
was
but
a
dress
rehearsal
,
the
production
of
the
piece
not
really
taking
place
until
to-morrow
.
I
had
ventured
to
submit
that
it
would
be
a
more
merciful
arrangement
did
the
religious
marriage
follow
hard
on
the
heels
of
the
civil
one
;
and
did
we
—
Perry
père
et
mère
and
myself
—
say
farewell
to
the
happy
pair
at
Geneva
,
leaving
them
to
set
forth
promptly
upon
their
wedding
journey
.
But
the
wisdom
of
the
Perry
family
decided
otherwise
,
and
I
fancy
the
proprietor
of
the
Grand
Hôtel
,
foreseeing
custom
,
fortified
them
in
their
decision
.
It
was
to
be
a
fête
,
a
gala
.
The
little
grey
English
Church
,
which
stands
in
such
agitatingly
close
proximity
to
the
railway
that
passing
trains
take
a
very
active
part
in
the
service
,
was
to
be
turned
into
St.
George
's
,
Hanover
Square
,
for
the
event
.
All
would
be
there
,
friends
and
enemies
alike
—
for
what
pretty
and
popular
woman
but
is
bound
to
number
a
few
of
the
latter
among
her
acquaintance
,
specially
in
the
restricted
society
of
a
summer
hotel
?
“
I
could
have
wished
to
give
my
daughter
away
,
”
Mr.
Perry
had
said
to
me
,
“
within
the
hallowed
precincts
of
one
of
our
fine
,
old
,
historic
piles
.
But
,
since
that
pious
satisfaction
is
denied
me
,
we
must
make
the
most
we
can
of
what
we
have
,
—
make
the
most
of
it
.
A
foreign
land
,
an
alien
tongue
,
but
still
a
rally
of
warm
English
hearts
about
our
blushing
bride
.
This
our
sojourn
at
the
Grand
Hôtel
will
have
secured
us
.
We
can
count
on
it
,
I
am
happy
to
say
,
—
count
on
it
.
”
So
we
set
forth
for
Geneva
,
a
self-conscious
and
ill-assorted
little
band
,
as
I
have
already
stated
;
and
should
doubtless
have
returned
thence
in
the
same
order
,
or
disorder
,
save
for
an
unexpected
turn
of
feeling
on
the
part
of
Charlotte
Perry
.
And
here
let
me
pause
to
render
a
tribute
to
a
lady
of
whom
I
have
so
far
,
I
am
afraid
,
spoken
with
but
moderate
enthusiasm
,
viz.
,
Mrs.
Mertyns
,
who
,
on
this
memorable
day
,
certainly
did
her
possible
to
mitigate
the
embarrassments
of
the
situation
.
It
fell
to
my
lot
to
convey
Mrs.
Perry
across
the
many
lines
of
metals
intervening
between
the
platform
and
the
train
for
Geneva
.
Have
you
ever
happened
to
drive
a
tender-hearted
stray
sheep
and
a
loitering
lamb
?
I
never
have
;
yet
after
my
experience
with
Mrs.
Perry
I
seem
to
possess
a
quite
professional
knowledge
of
such
driving
.
For
it
required
all
the
authority
,
let
alone
all
the
persuasive
arts
,
of
which
I
am
master
to
compel
the
dear
,
good
woman
—
glorious
in
a
purple
poplin
costume
,
plentifully
“
relieved
”
with
gold
sequins
—
across
those
many
lines
of
rails
.
With
the
greatest
activity
I
had
to
head
her
off
to
right
and
left
,
as
she
turned
and
doubled
,
greatly
flustered
,
afraid
of
non-existent
trains
,
afraid
of
possible
disaster
to
Mr.
Perry
,
supremely
afraid
of
parting
with
her
lamb
,
the
Carissima
;
afraid
that
innocent
creature
would
be
left
behind
,
lost
,
never
bestowed
safely
within
the
matrimonial
fold
after
all
.
And
it
was
with
sincere
relief
,
after
prolonged
struggles
,
that
I
beheld
the
grim
form
and
cast-iron
countenance
of
the
great
Septimus
Mertyns
advancing
upon
us
.
Two
might
attain
where
one
had
failed
.
To
begin
with
,
he
assured
my
agitated
charge
that
there
was
plenty
of
time
;
to
go
on
with
,
that
he
had
secured
seats
for
us
all
in
a
first-class
carriage
.
He
proceeded
,
with
my
assistance
,
kindly
but
firmly
to
hoist
the
panting
lady
up
the
narrow
iron
steps
on
to
the
back
platform
of
the
said
carriage
,
promising
that
he
would
go
and
find
the
other
members
of
the
party
and
bring
them
to
her
.
In
the
doorway
Mrs.
Mertyns
met
us
.
Forgive
me
if
I
fall
into
the
style
of
contemporary
fiction
—
for
truly
Mrs.
Mertyns
is
nothing
if
not
contemporary
—
and
describe
her
as
a
long
,
diaphanous
dream
of
a
woman
,
clothed
in
slightly
faded
mauve
and
white
.
Her
head
was
crowned
by
a
large
white
chip
hat
,
embowered
in
shaded
mauve
carnations
,
and
smothered
in
a
vast
white
net
veil
tied
in
a
bow
high
at
the
back
.
Her
rather
thin
throat
was
surrounded
by
several
rows
of
very
good
pearls
.
I
understand
that
pearls
,
like
germinating
seeds
or
hatching
chickens
,
need
a
tender
and
steady
warmth
to
bring
them
to
perfection
.
To
secure
this
,
Mrs.
Mertyns
invariably
wore
her
pearls
.
My
imagination
fails
to
picture
her
without
them
.
As
of
course
you
know
,
her
looks
,
in
certain
circles
,
have
afforded
a
perennial
subject
of
controversy
.
Some
persons
assert
that
she
is
washed
out
,
sandy
,
her
features
meaningless
,
her
figure
quite
uncomfortably
attenuated
,
her
arms
of
a
length
and
leanness
almost
distressing
.
They
amiably
add
,
as
a
rule
,
that
she
is
unpardonably
self-conscious
both
in
speech
and
bearing
;
while
other
,
and
no
doubt
more
enlightened
,
critics
find
in
each
of
the
above
peculiarities
an
added
note
of
beauty
.
Not
the
robust
flesh-and-blood
beauty
,
well
understood
,
which
the
mistaken
Greek
loved
to
sculpture
or
the
mistaken
Venetian
to
paint
;
but
a
beauty
altogether
refined
and
spiritual
—
a
joy
to
the
imagination
rather
than
the
eye
,
a
sentiment
rather
than
a
sight
,
a
flavour
rather
than
a
feeling
,
a
face
and
form
,
in
short
,
redolent
of
infinite
suggestion
.
These
critics
usually
wind
up
their
discourse
with
a
reference
to
Septimus
Q.C.
,
and
murmur
—
“
But
,
how
could
she
?
”
—
in
faltering
voices
.
For
my
own
part
,
I
have
always
held
Mrs.
Mertyns
to
be
a
very
clever
person
;
clever
to
the
point
of
possessing
all
the
effect
of
a
pretty
woman
,
while
being
,
in
point
of
fact
,
a
plain
one
.
This
is
among
the
very
highest
of
social
arts
.
The
successful
professor
of
it
commands
my
applause
.
The
more
so
,
probably
,
that
our
own
well-beloved
country-women
are
somewhat
incapable
in
the
exercise
of
it
.
They
need
to
be
really
quite
pretty
before
they
know
how
to
appear
so
.
Such
conduct
is
weakly
realistic
.
Neither
their
French
nor
American
sisters
are
much
handicapped
by
such
obviously
false
modesties
.
Mrs.
Mertyns
,
standing
just
inside
the
railway
carriage
,
took
good
flustered
Mrs.
Perry
's
thick
warm
hand
tenderly
in
her
long
thin
one
.
“
I
am
so
truly
glad
you
are
the
first
to
come
,
”
she
said
,
with
gentle
haste
,
“
because
if
you
object
,
or
if
you
think
darling
Charlotte
would
object
,
you
can
tell
me
so
at
once
—
we
are
old
enough
friends
,
dear
Mrs.
Perry
,
to
dare
to
be
truthful
,
are
we
not
?
—
and
I
will
disappear
immediately
.
”
She
crossed
her
left
hand
over
her
right
,
and
,
with
raised
elbow
and
drooping
wrist
,
took
my
left
hand
and
held
it
.
“
Ah
!
so
you
are
admitted
,
”
she
added
brightly
.
“
That
is
delightful
.
It
gives
me
hope
that
I
am
not
intrusive
,
after
all
,
in
thus
coming
.
”
Then
she
swayed
over
Mrs.
Perry
with
renewed
tenderness
.
“
You
know
how
close
Charlotte
's
and
my
intercourse
has
been
,
and
how
deeply
I
value
her
friendship
—
”
“
I
'm
sure
you
've
always
tried
to
behave
most
kindly
by
her
,
”
put
in
Mrs.
Perry
.
“
Kindly
?
—
no
,
dear
Mrs.
Perry
,
the
word
,
the
idea
,
is
out
of
place
between
your
Charlotte
and
myself
.
I
shall
always
feel
it
has
been
one
of
the
truest
privileges
of
my
life
to
be
so
much
with
her
,
to
watch
her
growing
powers
.
Her
charm
is
very
,
very
great
—
you
feel
it
so
,
do
n't
you
,
Mr.
Hammond
?
”
“
It
is
unique
,
”
I
replied
.
Mrs.
Perry
stared
at
me
.
“
Well
,
I
suppose
I
never
shall
understand
you
clever
people
,
”
she
remarked
in
tones
of
slight
dejection
.
“
As
I
said
,
I
'm
sure
there
's
no
one
—
though
I
'm
sure
Charlotte
's
a
very
fortunate
girl
in
having
Mr.
Leversedge
care
so
much
about
her
—
that
Mr.
Perry
and
I
would
sooner
have
—
”
I
cast
an
agonised
glance
upon
Mrs.
Mertyns
.
If
she
possessed
tact
,
in
heaven
's
name
let
her
use
it
!
“
Ah
yes
,
”
she
said
,
rising
nobly
to
the
occasion
,
“
Mr.
Leversedge
is
so
good
and
unaffected
—
so
honest
,
and
English
.
Everyone
must
see
that
.
But
he
is
very
,
very
fortunate
too
,
dear
Mrs.
Perry
.
Charlotte
's
friends
,
of
course
,
cannot
help
dwelling
very
much
in
thought
on
that
.
To
be
her
constant
companion
would
be
so
truly
elevating
for
any
man
.
Think
of
the
delight
of
her
brightness
and
depth
of
character
!
The
combination
is
extraordinary
—
”
Mrs.
Mertyns
paused
,
looking
up
,
smiling
at
the
roof
of
the
railway
carriage
,
her
shoulders
slightly
raised
and
her
long
wrists
crossed
just
below
her
bosom
.
Then
she
swayed
over
Mrs.
Perry
again
in
sudden
anxiety
.
“
But
you
are
sure
you
do
not
think
my
coming
to-day
an
intrusion
?
”
she
said
.
“
I
felt
so
strongly
about
it
.
I
felt
I
really
must
come
.
And
yet
I
was
diffident
.
We
discussed
the
question
yesterday
evening
all
through
dinner
.
I
think
all
my
people
would
have
liked
to
come
.
But
I
could
not
allow
that
.
I
know
your
Charlotte
so
well
.
I
know
and
respect
her
instinctive
shrinking
from
publicity
.
And
so
I
said
I
would
just
slip
away
quietly
with
my
husband
.
We
would
take
a
little
Darby
and
Joan
day
's
holiday
.
We
could
efface
ourselves
immediately
if
it
seemed
better
to
do
so
.
But
I
thought
it
possible
Septimus
might
be
useful
,
for
I
gathered
from
what
Mr.
Perry
told
me
there
were
papers
to
be
witnessed
,
and
my
husband
is
so
utterly
dependable
and
so
accustomed
—
ah
!
dear
friend
,
”
she
cried
,
making
a
little
rustling
rush
forward
with
both
arms
outstretched
.
“
Well
,
then
,
here
's
Lottie
at
last
!
And
I
'm
sure
I
'm
as
thankful
as
possible
,
Mr.
Hammond
,
for
I
was
as
nervous
as
could
be
something
would
happen
to
some
of
them
.
”
This
parenthetically
from
Mrs.
Perry
.
Charlotte
looked
exceedingly
pretty
,
standing
there
framed
by
the
dark
lines
of
the
doorway
.
She
wore
a
biscuit-coloured
dress
with
very
large
pink
sleeves
to
it
;
and
a
hat
to
match
,
garlanded
with
pink
roses
,
the
broad
brim
of
which
,
turning
up
,
formed
a
pale
straw-coloured
nimbus
about
her
head
.
The
girl
's
mouth
gathered
,
quivered
;
her
eyes
were
adorably
dewy
.
She
and
Mrs.
Mertyns
held
each
other
's
hands
,
looked
at
each
other
,
sighed
,
kissed
with
a
sort
of
chastened
rapture
,
murmuring
simultaneously
—
“
Dear
,
dear
friend
!
”
“
I
have
not
done
wrong
in
coming
?
”
It
seemed
as
if
Charlotte
Perry
could
not
answer
.
She
threw
back
her
head
,
smiled
,
bit
her
lip
.
Then
suddenly
she
seemed
to
become
aware
of
my
presence
.
Her
breath
caught
,
as
though
in
pain
.
This
appeared
to
me
a
quite
uncalled-for
demonstration
,
for
had
we
not
come
down
together
inside
the
omnibus
to
the
station
?
Mrs.
Mertyns
took
the
place
by
the
window
—
drew
Miss
Perry
down
on
the
one
next
to
her
.
I
think
it
had
been
her
intention
I
should
occupy
the
vacant
place
opposite
,
—
upon
the
seat
of
the
other
she
had
piled
parasols
,
dust
cloaks
,
and
a
large
basket
of
fruit
and
flowers
,
—
but
if
such
was
her
intention
it
was
frustrated
by
the
advent
of
our
active
Perry
,
who
whipped
into
the
empty
place
,
rubbing
his
hands
.
“
Delightful
surprise
!
”
he
cried
.
“
I
am
sure
,
most
delightful
.
A
display
of
sympathy
,
of
spontaneous
solicitude
,
altogether
flattering
to
myself
and
my
family
;
adding
one
more
to
an
already
long
list
of
charming
acts
of
courtesy
.
We
are
in
your
debt
,
and
how
to
pay
,
”
said
Mr.
Perry
,
with
sudden
solemnity
,
“
passes
me
.
I
ransack
the
chambers
of
my
brain
,
but
they
are
empty
of
any
suggestion
of
a
possible
means
of
payment
.
Yet
,
”
he
continued
,
brightening
,
“
who
knows
,
a
time
may
come
,
an
opportunity
may
be
granted
me
,
and
then
—
The
faithful
heart
bound
fast
to
thine
by
gracious
friendly
deeds
,
Will
rouse
to
stalwart
action
interpreting
thy
needs
.
”
Charlotte
Perry
looked
hard
at
the
speaker
.
Then
she
addressed
her
friend
in
low
and
hurried
accents
.
CHAPTER
II
JUST
then
the
door
opened
at
the
far
end
of
the
car
and
admitted
Leversedge
.
He
came
down
the
narrow
gangway
between
the
seats
,
lifting
his
hat
to
two
athletic
Englishwomen
of
the
High
School
variety
,
whose
overflowing
hold-alls
he
slightly
displaced
in
passing
.
“
Oh
,
here
you
all
are
,
”
he
said
.
“
How
d'ye
do
,
Mrs.
Mertyns
?
No
,
pray
,
do
n't
anybody
move
.
I
see
you
're
all
settled
.
”
—
Mrs
.
Perry
and
Septimus
,
it
may
be
remarked
,
occupied
the
single
seats
the
other
side
of
the
gangway
.
—
“
I
can
just
as
well
find
a
place
farther
up
the
carriage
.
”
All
the
same
he
loitered
,
gazing
at
Charlotte
Perry
;
hoping
,
as
I
thought
,
that
she
would
make
some
sign
.
But
she
made
none
.
Leversedge
turned
away
.
I
followed
him
.
And
so
it
happened
that
we
journeyed
towards
Geneva
,
sitting
opposite
to
each
other
,
rather
cut
off
from
the
rest
of
the
company
.
It
was
extremely
hot
,
and
we
had
to
pull
down
the
canvas
blinds
and
half
close
the
windows
to
keep
out
sun
and
dust
.
The
train
roared
along
;
the
vineyards
reeling
past
on
one
hand
,
the
rocks
,
white
with
fluttering
mouettes
and
lapped
by
clear
little
green
waves
,
on
the
other
.
It
need
hardly
be
stated
that
the
two
athletic
Englishwomen
had
left
all
windows
down
and
blinds
up
in
their
compartment
,
thus
supplying
us
with
a
liberal
measure
of
glare
,
cinders
,
and
engine
smoke
.
Above
the
noise
of
the
train
,
from
time
to
time
,
I
heard
Mrs.
Mertyns
'
somewhat
senseless
and
soulless
laugh
.
Like
many
women
in
society
,
she
had
a
tendency
to
laugh
,
not
in
proportion
as
she
was
amused
,
but
in
proportion
as
she
was
bored
.
I
could
well
believe
Perry
père
's
style
was
finely
irritating
in
all
this
heat
.
The
more
excellent
of
her
,
then
,
to
have
come
!
I
have
never
entertained
a
better
opinion
of
Mrs.
Mertyns
.
Leversedge
,
meanwhile
,
sat
silent
,
his
long
legs
outstretched
beneath
the
little
iron
table
between
us
,
his
head
bent
,
his
mind
busy
,
judging
by
his
expression
,
with
rather
gloomy
thoughts
.
“
Sometimes
it
strikes
me
we
men
are
awful
brutes
when
it
comes
to
marriage
,
”
he
said
suddenly
.
“
We
want
so
much
.
We
must
have
everything
.
Nothing
less
than
the
whole
will
satisfy
us
.
”
“
Upon
my
word
,
I
think
we
give
a
good
deal
in
return
,
”
I
replied
.
“
The
counter-demand
is
considerable
,
a
matter
by
no
means
to
be
sneezed
at
—
so
considerable
,
in
my
estimation
,
that
,
as
you
see
,
I
have
never
yet
found
myself
equal
to
meeting
it
,
and
so
remain
,
to
the
present
hour
,
at
once
hugging
and
deploring
my
state
of
single
blessedness
.
Oh
,
I
'm
all
on
the
man
's
side
,
believe
me
,
in
marriage
.
In
my
eyes
the
bridegroom
,
the
husband
,
is
the
leader
of
a
forlorn
hope
—
at
once
a
noodle
and
a
hero
.
”
“
Thank
you
,
”
Leversedge
said
;
“
you
are
encouraging
.
But
the
truth
is
,
you
do
n't
understand
,
you
're
out
of
it
.
”
I
am
afraid
I
made
use
of
an
expletive
which
had
better
not
be
repeated
.
Leversedge
regarded
me
with
an
expression
both
humorous
and
dogged
.
“
Yes
,
you
're
out
of
it
,
”
he
repeated
.
“
It
's
not
that
you
are
unequal
to
meeting
the
demand
.
You
've
never
felt
the
thing
.
You
've
never
been
knocked
out
of
time
by
a
woman
.
Bless
me
,
you
do
n't
stop
to
calculate
the
amount
of
giving
and
taking
then
;
you
do
n't
weigh
things
;
you
do
n't
speculate
.
When
a
man
meets
his
fate
,
he
meets
it
.
The
whole
matter
is
outside
argument
.
It
is
just
so
,
—
he
may
be
a
noodle
,
but
he
does
n't
stop
to
care
about
that
.
”
Leversedge
paused
a
moment
,
shifted
his
position
,
laid
hold
with
both
hands
of
the
woodwork
of
the
back
of
the
seat
high
above
his
head
.
“
No
,
the
man
does
n't
give
much
in
proportion
to
the
woman
,
to
the
girl
,
to
the
good
woman
,
”
he
said
.
“
For
the
man
knows
the
ropes
,
after
all
;
he
has
a
precious
clear
idea
of
what
he
is
driving
at
.
He
knows
what
he
wants
quite
well
,
shamelessly
lessly
well
,
in
too
many
cases
.
But
hers
is
an
act
of
faith
almost
divine
.
God
in
heaven
!
it
seems
to
me
there
is
no
limit
to
the
gratitude
,
to
the
reverence
,
Hammond
,
with
which
we
should
regard
an
innocent
girl
who
is
willing
to
marry
any
one
of
us
.
”
He
smiled
at
me
.
“
I
beg
your
pardon
for
prosing
like
this
.
But
it
's
borne
in
upon
me
to-day
that
I
am
a
wretchedly
selfish
animal
.
And
I
suppose
something
of
the
cheap
old
superstition
clings
to
me
that
in
confessing
your
sins
you
rid
yourself
of
them
,
to
a
certain
extent
at
all
events
.
A
better
man
than
I
,
under
all
the
circumstances
,
would
have
talked
less
and
done
something
practical
.
Old
Perry
's
income
,
such
as
it
is
,
pretty
well
dies
with
him
.
And
she
ought
to
have
money
,
she
can
use
it
—
it
is
necessary
to
a
woman
with
her
gifts
,
and
it
is
miserable
to
think
of
her
wanting
it
,
now
or
any
when
.
A
better
man
than
I
would
have
seen
to
all
that
,
provided
against
any
bother
that
way
—
and
then
set
her
free
,
given
her
up
,
whether
she
would
or
not
.
”
Leversedge
threw
himself
forward
,
and
for
once
the
blood
rushed
into
his
face
.
“
But
I
ca
n't
,
”
he
said
huskily
,
—
“
I
ca
n't
.
Before
God
,
I
have
tried
;
but
I
have
not
the
pluck
.
I
want
her
.
I
must
have
her
—
for
a
little
while
—
just
for
a
little
while
—
and
then
—
”
At
that
moment
I
perceived
Mrs.
Mertyns
standing
up
and
waving
to
me
,
across
the
backs
of
the
intervening
seats
.
It
was
as
well
.
Leversedge
had
given
himself
away
rather
completely
.
The
conversation
could
not
continue
at
that
level
of
emotion
;
and
one
always
has
a
sense
of
bathos
in
struggling
towards
the
surface
after
such
a
plunge
into
the
deep
sea
of
feeling
.
Women
hold
hands
,
and
kiss
each
other
,
and
cry
a
little
,
on
the
way
up
to
the
surface
,
which
must
be
a
great
help
.
But
to
us
,
to
whom
these
tender
modifications
of
the
situation
are
denied
,
the
ascent
is
extremely
embarrassing
.
So
I
,
not
unwillingly
,
obeyed
Mrs.
Mertyns
'
summons
,
leaving
that
dear
fool
,
Leversedge
,
to
recover
his
equanimity
in
private
.
Mrs.
Mertyns
looked
slightly
distracted
.
“
Do
come
,
Mr.
Hammond
,
”
she
exclaimed
as
I
approached
.
“
See
,
there
is
a
place
for
you
.
Mr.
Perry
will
kindly
put
my
odds
and
ends
on
to
the
table
.
Yes
—
thanks
,
so
.
—
I
am
just
starting
that
delightful
thinking
game
dear
Hattie
St.
John
taught
us
the
other
day
after
luncheon
.
And
we
want
a
sixth
—
we
really
must
have
you
.
”
Mrs.
Mertyns
leaned
her
elbow
upon
the
table
;
she
flapped
at
me
with
her
long
narrow
hand
.
Her
eyes
expressed
a
more
direct
sentiment
than
was
at
all
their
wont
.
They
intimated
that
something
really
had
to
be
done
,
they
took
me
into
their
confidence
.
“
Mr.
Perry
quite
surpassed
himself
,
quite
excelled
in
it
,
”
she
continued
.
“
He
gave
us
the
most
interesting
examples
.
And
Charlotte
must
learn
it
.
I
am
devoted
to
thinking
games
;
they
fill
in
so
many
stray
minutes
when
otherwise
”
—
she
laughed
.
“
It
will
prevent
our
feeling
this
oppressive
heat
.
Now
,
Mr.
Hammond
,
you
shall
give
us
a
subject
—
an
event
or
a
character
in
history
or
fiction
(
really
it
is
an
excellent
exercise
of
memory
)
—
while
I
count
twelve
,
do
you
see
?
Then
in
twelve
words
describe
it
;
and
then
we
have
twelve
guesses
between
us
,
in
turn
,
you
understand
.
And
you
answer
in
numbers
as
we
get
more
or
less
near
it
.
Twelve
,
of
course
,
means
game
.
Now
,
remember
,
we
all
have
to
speak
as
quick
as
possible
.
”
And
we
played
that
thinking
game
.
Oh
yes
,
indeed
we
played
it
,
as
the
train
rushed
on
,
past
Rolle
,
past
Nyon
,
past
Coppet
.
We
had
the
burning
of
Jeanne
d'Arc
in
twelve
words
;
and
the
Relief
of
Lucknow
in
twelve
words
;
and
the
battle
of
Cannæ
,
and
the
interviewing
of
the
Sphinx
by
Œdipus
,
and
the
Reform
Bill
of
'
32
—
this
last
naturally
from
Septimus
Mertyns
.
“
A
bloodstained
deck
,
”
said
Mr.
Perry
.
“
One
,
two
,
three
,
four
,
”
counted
Mrs.
Mertyns
.
“
No
—
no
,
three
,
but
three
,
”
he
cried
.
“
Blood-stained
is
one
,
only
one
,
joined
by
the
ever-welcome
hyphen
.
—
Torn
canvas
.
”
“
Dear
me
,
”
put
in
Mrs.
Perry
,
“
I
always
have
disliked
shipwrecks
.
I
suppose
it
's
the
Princess
Alice
pleasure
steamer
—
poor
creatures
,
an
acquaintance
of
Aunt
Trumbull
had
relatives
on
board
—
going
down
in
the
river
.
I
wish
Mr.
Perry
would
n't
allude
to
such
things
,
on
a
wedding-day
,
too
.
”
“
Four
,
five
,
”
cried
Mrs.
Mertyns
.
“
Noble
commander
laid
low
,
—
my
love
,
you
are
entirely
mistaken
,
—
in
victory
.
”
“
Coppet
—
trois
minutes
d'arrêt
,
”
this
from
the
platform
as
the
train
slowed
up
.
I
rose
,
leaving
Nelson
extended
upon
the
gory
deck
,
with
Perry
père
,
so
to
speak
,
waving
the
British
flag
over
his
honoured
and
prostrate
form
,
and
went
to
look
after
Leversedge
.
He
lay
back
in
his
place
fast
asleep
.
His
face
was
singularly
peaceful
,
almost
childlike
in
its
simple
serenity
.
But
he
held
his
hard
brown
hat
stiffly
with
both
hands
,
and
worked
it
slowly
up
and
down
his
knees
even
in
sleeping
.
And
that
was
not
at
all
pleasant
to
see
,
somehow
.
CHAPTER
III
THE
joyless
little
ceremony
was
over
,
and
Leversedge
had
got
his
wife
as
far
as
civil
law
could
give
her
to
him
.
His
will
was
signed
and
witnessed
by
Mertyns
and
myself
.
Then
we
turned
from
business
to
the
courting
of
pleasure
.
We
ate
a
smart
luncheon
at
a
smart
hotel
,
towards
the
end
of
which
entertainment
Mr.
Perry
was
with
difficulty
restrained
from
making
a
speech
.
Finally
we
went
for
a
walk
.
At
this
point
Mrs.
Mertyns
'
courage
ran
out
;
she
departed
,
with
many
protestations
of
sorrow
,
to
seek
for
some
distinguished
Genevan
littérateur
whom
she
suddenly
felt
an
overwhelming
necessity
to
call
upon
.
She
went
away
in
a
cab
,
with
a
white
awning
to
it
like
the
tester
of
a
four-post
bed
.
She
left
us
Septimus
.
Perry
père
et
mère
clung
to
each
other
through
that
dreadful
walk
,
clung
to
the
Carissima
,
clung
to
the
rest
of
us
.
Escape
was
impossible
.
Like
Wordsworth
's
cloud
,
“
we
moved
together
,
if
we
moved
at
all
.
”
It
was
hot
and
dusty
,
and
the
horror
of
being
“
out
for
the
day
”
was
most
sensibly
upon
us
.
Returning
from
the
farther
shore
of
the
Rhone
by
the
broad
Pont
des
Bergues
,
—
to
the
middle
of
which
Rousseau
's
Island
is
moored
by
a
little
iron
suspension
bridge
,
—
good
Mrs.
Perry
made
a
sudden
diversion
.
There
was
yet
a
weary
hour
before
our
train
started
.
She
begged
plaintively
to
be
taken
on
to
the
island
.
Not
that
she
was
filled
by
the
spirit
of
pilgrimage
,
by
memories
of
the
delightful
pages
of
the
Confessions
,
or
the
disintegrating
ones
of
the
Social
Contract
.
She
saw
trees
,
and
green
benches
whereon
she
might
rest
a
while
,
and
seek
relief
from
the
fatigues
and
trampings
of
this
very
peripatetic
day
.
Leversedge
took
care
of
her
,
found
her
a
cool
spot
,
sat
by
her
saying
,
I
am
sure
,
an
infinity
of
nice
kind
things
.
Mr.
Perry
and
Mr.
Mertyns
drifted
into
a
ponderous
conversation
on
the
affairs
of
the
nation
at
home
and
abroad
.
While
I
found
myself
standing
under
the
narrow
shimmering
shade
of
the
great
poplars
with
the
fair
Charlotte
,
—
the
sapphire
waters
of
the
Rhone
rushing
down
between
the
white
piers
of
the
bridges
at
the
pace
of
a
galloping
horse
;
the
façades
of
the
solid
square
houses
,
fronting
the
quay
and
its
rows
of
round-headed
plane
trees
,
lying
in
strong
sunshine
and
blue
shadow
;
the
city
piled
up
behind
to
the
stern
mass
of
the
Romanesque
cathedral
,
the
two
squat
towers
of
which
showed
hard
and
dark
against
the
pale
lilac
limestone
terraces
of
the
Grand
Salève
.
The
girl
's
pretty
eyes
had
been
reproachful
whenever
they
chanced
to
meet
mine
during
that
deadly
day
.
They
were
reproachful
still
.
I
perceived
that
the
atmosphere
was
electric
,
I
feared
we
were
on
the
verge
of
an
explanation
,
and
I
cordially
detest
explanations
.
So
I
talked
,
I
did
more
,
I
chattered
.
I
gave
my
companion
a
really
rather
witty
description
of
a
sentimental
journey
I
had
once
made
—
in
company
with
the
friend
who
shall
be
nameless-from
Geneva
,
via
Aix
les
Bains
,
to
Annecy
,
for
the
purpose
of
visiting
Les
Charmettes
—
sacred
to
the
memory
of
that
most
charming
victim
of
every
conceivable
false
philosophy
,
Madame
de
Warens
.
Suddenly
the
girl
stopped
me
.
“
You
go
too
far
,
”
she
said
,
“
for
I
cannot
believe
you
are
utterly
heartless
,
and
so
you
must
be
aware
,
in
a
measure
,
of
all
I
am
feeling
.
—
Oh
!
I
know
you
are
talking
well
—
you
usually
do
that
.
But
,
just
now
,
that
you
should
be
agreeable
is
of
very
slight
moment
to
me
.
”
She
raised
her
hand
and
pointed
to
the
dark
high-shouldered
cathedral
.
“
You
remember
they
burnt
people
up
there
,
once
upon
a
time
,
”
she
said
.
“
Well
,
I
feel
towards
your
talk
much
as
those
people
must
have
felt
towards
the
grasshoppers
—
listen
to
them
now
—
singing
gaily
in
the
sunshine
while
the
flames
leapt
up
that
—
”
“
No
,
no
,
no
,
pardon
me
,
”
I
cried
.
“
It
is
you
who
go
very
much
too
far
.
For
goodness
'
sake
do
n't
souse
us
thus
suddenly
in
a
sea
of
tragedy
right
up
to
the
neck
.
Forgive
my
remarking
that
your
illustration
is
a
wild
exaggeration
,
altogether
beyond
the
facts
of
the
case
.
”
“
You
know
what
I
have
done
,
you
know
why
I
have
done
it
,
and
you
make
agreeable
conversation
.
You
have
no
word
of
recognition
,
of
admission
.
Does
not
your
sense
of
justice
compel
you
to
own
my
sincerity
at
last
?
”
“
Oh
,
quarrel
with
me
as
much
as
you
like
,
”
I
said
.
“
That
is
healthy
enough
.
But
do
n't
lose
sight
of
the
proportion
of
things
,
and
indulge
in
distorted
comparisons
.
It
is
unworthy
of
your
intelligence
to
do
so
,
to
go
thus
madly
beyond
the
facts
of
the
case
.
”
The
girl
clasped
her
hands
and
moved
a
couple
of
steps
aside
,
with
one
of
those
swift
movements
which
would
look
so
excellently
upon
the
stage
.
“
But
can
anything
really
go
beyond
the
facts
of
the
case
?
”
she
asked
in
tones
of
sharp
,
thin
distress
.
Upon
my
word
,
I
was
very
much
provoked
with
the
Carissima
,
provoked
to
the
point
of
being
greatly
minded
to
tell
her
,
once
and
for
all
,
that
she
was
a
goose
.
“
Yes
,
most
emphatically
many
things
can
,
”
I
answered
.
“
Does
a
man
's
love
carry
so
little
weight
with
you
that
you
dare
speak
as
though
to
be
the
sole
and
supreme
object
of
it
was
a
dire
misfortune
?
Moreover
,
Leversedge
comes
to
you
with
his
hands
by
no
means
empty
.
He
does
not
merely
offer
you
the
trivial
matter
of
his
whole
heart
,
but
the
exceedingly
substantial
matter
of
his
whole
fortune
.
”
The
girl
's
colour
had
faded
.
She
regarded
me
with
some
amazement
.
She
had
often
surprised
me
;
now
I
proposed
to
have
my
turn
.
“
You
cannot
suppose
money
matters
to
me
?
”
she
faltered
.
“
Indeed
,
”
I
returned
,
“
I
can
very
readily
suppose
it
.
Money
matters
vitally
to
every
one
of
us
who
is
in
his
,
or
her
,
sober
senses
.
Miseries
come
whether
one
is
rich
or
whether
one
is
poor
;
but
,
I
own
,
I
never
encountered
any
form
of
misery
yet
which
money
could
not
do
a
good
deal
to
alleviate
.
But
that
is
not
the
main
point
;
the
main
point
is
your
very
limited
appreciation
of
the
affection
of
the
man
you
are
marrying
.
”
“
Are
you
aware
that
you
are
simply
scolding
me
?
”
my
companion
inquired
sweetly
.
“
Yes
,
I
am
perfectly
well
aware
of
it
,
my
dear
young
lady
,
”
I
replied
genially
.
“
And
unless
you
actually
run
away
from
me
,
or
call
for
help
,
I
am
fully
prepared
to
continue
the
process
.
I
am
not
nearly
through
with
the
business
yet
;
and
it
is
all
for
your
good
—
all
,
believe
me
.
See
now
,
you
have
done
me
the
honour
to
be
very
confidential
with
me
.
You
have
confided
to
me
dreams
of
an
ideal
affection
.
”
The
colour
rushed
into
the
fair
Charlotte
's
face
again
.
She
closed
her
charming
eyes
,
and
raised
her
hand
as
though
to
ward
off
a
blow
.
But
the
vision
of
Leversedge
was
upon
me
;
Leversedge
in
that
basting
railway
carriage
,
and
the
broken
passion
of
his
utterance
.
I
would
not
relent
.
“
Bear
with
me
while
I
point
out
to
you
that
those
dreams
are
but
pale
and
ghostly
fictions
,
beside
the
real
,
the
very
full-blooded
,
romance
of
Leversedge
's
affection
.
All
that
you
have
vaguely
imagined
yourself
feeling
regarding
some
possible
,
conceivable
,
but
non-existent
being
,
he
positively
and
actually
feels
regarding
you
.
Do
n't
you
understand
,
you
are
the
last
word
of
poetry
,
of
art
,
of
religion
—
even
—
to
him
.
And
is
that
nothing
?
Is
it
a
slight
matter
to
be
to
a
man
the
incarnation
,
the
ultimate
expression
,
of
all
enchantments
,
all
delights
—
that
in
you
he
finds
the
realisation
of
his
highest
aspirations
—
finds
it
there
or
nowhere
?
”
I
paused
,
somewhat
out
of
breath
from
my
own
—
most
unusual
—
flight
of
eloquence
.
I
am
not
often
thus
loudly
didactic
.
To
be
so
is
to
be
crude
,
and
I
shudder
at
crudity
.
Even
now
I
dared
not
pause
long
,
lest
a
quite
opposite
side
of
the
case
should
present
itself
to
me
,
and
I
should
begin
to
fear
not
only
that
my
enthusiasm
was
slightly
ridiculous
,
but
that
I
might
,
after
all
,
be
presenting
my
hearer
with
a
garbled
edition
.
Garbled
or
not
,
it
appeared
to
work
upon
her
.
She
stood
silent
;
and
her
pretty
face
,
set
in
the
aureole
of
her
wide-brimmed
,
rose-garlanded
hat
,
wore
a
questioning
expression
somewhat
—
so
I
flattered
myself
—
new
to
it
.
And
this
encouraged
me
.
I
held
a
brief
for
Leversedge
—
well
,
then
,
I
would
strike
while
the
iron
was
hot
,
I
would
go
on
,
I
would
plead
his
cause
yet
further
.
“
My
dear
young
lady
,
you
have
been
bewitched
by
much
talk
,
by
much
reading
,
by
all
manner
of
ingenious
hair-splittings
regarding
the
emotions
,
regarding
the
relation
of
men
and
women
.
Do
come
back
out
of
all
that
,
all
those
misleading
generalisations
and
fanciful
interpretations
,
and
deal
with
the
matter
in
hand
.
You
have
just
married
a
man
who
adores
you
,
to
whom
you
—
briefly
—
represent
rapture
;
well
,
lend
yourself
a
little
to
the
situation
.
It
is
not
a
contemptible
one
.
For
,
to
how
many
women
do
you
suppose
it
happens
,
in
their
whole
lifetime
,
ever
to
represent
that
to
any
member
of
our
sex
?
”
The
Carissima
's
lips
quivered
.
She
looked
very
young
just
then
;
and
,
queerly
enough
,
I
saw
in
her
a
strong
likeness
to
her
mother
—
to
a
clock-moon
of
long
ago
,
paradisaic
rather
than
suburban
.
I
had
an
angelic
moment
,
wherein
my
spirit
yearned
in
purest
and
most
praiseworthy
pity
and
hope
over
Charlotte
Perry
.
A
little
more
and
I
could
have
prayed
—
to
“
whatever
gods
there
be
”
—
for
the
salvation
of
her
.
“
Constantine
should
tell
me
all
this
himself
,
”
she
said
.
“
Wait
,
”
I
replied
,
the
angelic
humour
strong
in
me
.
“
He
will
do
more
than
tell
you
—
only
give
him
time
.
Remember
,
Leversedge
is
one
of
those
who
live
ballads
,
not
one
of
those
who
merely
sit
at
home
and
write
them
.
Only
do
n't
frighten
him
by
narrow
criticism
,
and
quarrel
with
him
because
he
does
not
conform
altogether
to
fashionable
standards
.
Give
him
room
.
Then
he
will
not
disappoint
you
.
He
has
rather
magnificent
stuff
in
him
.
And
he
is
yours
to
make
or
to
break
.
Make
him
—
believe
me
,
he
's
worth
it
—
make
him
,
and
for
you
,
also
,
life
shall
be
sweet
.
”
The
girl
came
close
to
me
.
—
“
And
that
hideous
hallucination
?
”
she
whispered
.
“
Will
vanish
into
the
nothingness
out
of
which
it
came
,
”
I
answered
.
The
narrow
shadow
of
the
poplars
had
shifted
,
so
that
Charlotte
,
pink-sleeved
and
rose-crowned
,
stood
in
the
full
gaiety
of
the
sunshine
,
above
the
rushing
blue
river
.
“
If
I
make
him
,
will
you
believe
in
me
,
at
last
?
”
she
asked
.
“
Down
to
the
ground
.
I
will
hail
you
as
the
dearest
and
most
sacred
thing
on
earth
,
—
a
clever
and
beautiful
woman
who
is
not
above
giving
happiness
,
who
is
not
ashamed
of
being
something
of
an
angel
into
the
bargain
—
”
Ah
!
Lydia
Castern
,
why
does
the
remembrance
of
you
invariably
return
upon
me
in
moments
of
exaltation
such
as
these
,
when
—
for
a
little
while
—
I
harbour
the
notion
that
the
practice
of
certain
old-fashioned
virtues
,
so
patiently
and
faithfully
practised
by
you
,
may
,
after
all
,
be
the
surest
way
of
pleasantness
and
directest
path
of
peace
?
But
here
the
voice
of
Perry
père
,
raised
in
playful
admonition
,
put
a
stop
to
further
conversation
.
“
Come
,
come
,
”
he
cried
,
“
'
tis
time
to
move
,
though
I
regret
to
quit
this
interesting
spot
—
to
the
student
of
literature
,
I
'm
sure
,
most
interesting
.
Not
that
the
writings
of
the
‘self-torturing
sophist’
have
ever
greatly
appealed
to
me
.
No
,
no
,
as
an
Englishman
,
as
a
husband
and
father
,
I
say
—
and
must
always
say
—
give
me
something
manly
,
give
me
something
sound
,
give
me
,
in
short
,
sentiments
which
,
without
the
most
fugitive
movement
of
apology
,
I
can
permit
to
lie
open
upon
my
wife
's
drawing-room
table
.
”
Leversedge
had
sauntered
up
to
us
.
He
stood
near
Charlotte
.
“
Tired
?
”
I
heard
him
ask
her
quietly
.
“
I
own
it
,
”
continued
Mr.
Perry
,
with
lofty
humility
,
“
for
'
tis
,
no
doubt
,
a
reflection
on
my
culture
;
yet
I
own
that
the
genius
of
the
French
,
as
a
nation
,
is
foreign
to
me
.
A
want
of
grit
,
Mr.
Hammond
,
a
lack
of
the
substantial
.
Too
many
kickshaws
,
eh
?
just
a
trifle
too
many
kickshaws
and
sauces
.
”
The
girl
hesitated
a
moment
,
then
she
looked
very
charmingly
at
Leversedge
.
“
Yes
,
”
she
said
,
“
I
am
rather
tired
.
To
tell
the
truth
,
I
dread
the
noise
and
dust
of
the
train
.
”
She
glanced
at
me
,
her
eyes
swam
in
possible
tears
,
her
lips
sketched
a
possible
and
all-seductive
kiss
.
Then
she
turned
swiftly
to
Leversedge
again
.
“
Shall
we
desert
the
others
?
”
she
asked
him
.
“
Shall
we
leave
them
to
encounter
the
miseries
of
the
railway
without
us
?
Will
you
go
back
with
me
—
alone
—
by
boat
?
”
Leversedge
's
head
went
up
with
a
sudden
jerk
.
His
breath
caught
in
his
throat
.
I
fancy
he
did
not
see
anything
very
distinctly
for
a
second
or
two
,
though
there
was
an
immense
gladness
in
his
face
.
It
was
rather
moving
;
and
I
addressed
myself
to
Perry
père
,
in
haste
,
regarding
the
flimsy
,
the
gilt-gingerbread
character
of
the
literature
of
the
French
nation
—
the
lack
of
humour
of
Molière
,
general
cheapness
of
M
.
de
Voltaire
,
and
,
to
come
down
to
our
own
day
,
the
deplorable
want
of
style
in
such
men
as
Flaubert
and
Gautier
.
I
took
my
examples
,
perhaps
,
slightly
at
random
.
Meanwhile
I
heard
Leversedge
laugh
a
little
—
almost
as
a
child
laughs
.
“
Will
I
?
”
he
said
.
“
Do
you
really
mean
it
?
—
Will
I
—
will
I
not
?
”
Mrs.
Perry
talked
to
me
all
the
way
to
the
station
,
along
the
flaming
Rue
du
Mont
Blanc
.
“
I
suppose
there
's
no
objection
to
their
going
off
alone
together
like
that
,
Mr.
Hammond
,
”
she
said
.
“
Mr.
Perry
made
no
objection
,
and
,
of
course
,
we
all
know
Joseph
is
very
tenacious
of
appearances
.
But
it
does
seem
to
me
strange
,
only
half
married
as
they
are
.
But
then
everything
does
seem
strange
to-day
somehow
;
and
,
you
see
,
it
is
so
very
warm
,
and
I
get
such
giddy
turns
.
Dear
me
,
I
'm
sure
up
at
the
Consul
's
,
when
all
those
papers
were
signing
,
the
room
turned
right
round
with
me
,
and
I
thought
I
should
have
fallen
,
which
made
me
dreadfully
nervous
,
because
,
of
course
,
it
would
have
been
most
mortifying
for
Charlotte
and
Mr.
Perry
.
But
,
you
see
,
I
ca
n't
help
feeling
a
little
upset
somehow
,
with
all
the
marrying
twice
over
.
I
'm
sure
none
of
my
relations
were
ever
married
like
that
,
nor
any
of
Mr.
Perry
's
either
.
And
I
really
do
n't
feel
I
know
who
Charlotte
is
for
the
rest
of
to-day
.
I
've
been
worrying
about
whether
she
is
Mrs.
Leversedge
yet
,
or
only
our
daughter
,
just
as
usual
;
and
I
ca
n't
make
out
anyhow
.
I
've
been
thinking
if
anything
was
to
happen
before
to-morrow
—
which
I
'm
sure
I
hope
it
wo
n't
—
to
make
her
name
appear
in
the
papers
,
whatever
would
they
call
her
?
I
do
n't
know
.
And
it
makes
me
quite
nervous
.
It
seems
almost
a
scandalous
thing
not
to
be
sure
about
your
own
daughter
's
name
,
now
does
n't
it
,
Mr.
Hammond
.
”
CHAPTER
IV
AS
though
the
day
had
not
already
been
long
I
enough
,
we
broke
out
into
extensive
festivity
at
the
Grand
Hôtel
that
evening
.
We
had
indulged
in
small
dances
before
,
when
the
gold
and
crimson
chairs
and
sofas
fled
back
against
the
walls
of
the
salon
,
while
the
band
brayed
lustily
upon
the
verandah
.
But
to-night
—
whether
by
request
of
Perry
père
,
I
know
not
—
proceedings
were
upon
a
grander
scale
.
The
neighbouring
hotels
and
pensions
had
sent
us
their
contingent
of
English
and
American
youth
,
English
and
American
maturity
;
while
even
the
native
population
had
subscribed
precious
specimens
,
with
those
petticoats
disproportionately
short
in
the
one
sex
and
ties
disproportionately
narrow
in
the
other
,
those
necks
quite
unnecessarily
large
and
uncovered
in
both
,
which
are
so
characteristic
of
the
descendants
of
William
Tell
,
and
of
the
conquerors
of
Morat
and
Grandson
.
In
honour
of
these
guests
the
hotel
was
lighted
from
end
to
end
;
there
were
even
rumours
of
supper
to
be
obtained
in
the
salle
à-manger
.
The
rooms
were
really
crowded
.
We
were
nothing
,
indeed
,
if
not
gay
that
evening
.
On
our
return
from
Geneva
,
I
had
dined
with
Leversedge
and
the
Perry
family
in
the
restaurant
.
Dined
?
rather
say
feasted
!
And
Perry
père
had
been
horribly
profuse
in
anecdote
;
but
I
capped
his
vilest
quotations
,
I
applauded
his
stalest
stories
.
For
the
Carissima
was
gentle
,
natural
,
wholly
captivating
;
while
Leversedge
held
himself
gallantly
,
and
had
a
light
in
his
eyes
good
to
see
.
And
these
things
produced
in
me
an
amiability
little
short
of
divine
.
I
so
very
seldom
am
overtaken
with
charitable
activities
in
respect
of
my
fellow-men
,
I
so
seldom
do
anything
—
in
the
least
burdensome
to
myself
—
to
promote
their
welfare
,
that
I
was
really
quite
overcome
by
my
own
successful
altruism
.
If
,
thanks
to
me
—
for
had
I
not
,
overruling
the
distaste
of
the
one
,
and
scruples
of
the
other
,
pushed
these
two
into
each
other
's
arms
,
thus
finally
and
irrevocably
?
—
if
,
I
say
,
the
half
marriage
went
so
merrily
,
might
not
the
whole
marriage
go
to
perfection
?
For
the
time
I
enjoyed
all
the
proud
pleasures
of
the
preacher
,
the
evangelist
,
the
director
.
I
comprehended
the
fascinations
of
the
sacerdotal
position
.
I
had
“
played
with
souls
”
for
their
good
,
temporal
and
eternal
;
and
had
won
them
,
though
the
odds
against
such
winning
were
extremely
heavy
.
I
had
saved
Leversedge
's
reason
,
probably
his
life
into
the
bargain
.
I
had
converted
the
Carissima
.
And
,
for
the
time
,
I
own
it
,
my
conceit
of
myself
was
colossal
—
rampantly
,
gloriously
blatant
.
It
was
in
this
spirit
of
profound
self-congratulation
that
I
beheld
Leversedge
and
his
bride
pass
out
into
the
dusky
brightness
of
the
garden
,
and
that
I
conducted
Mrs.
Perry
to
a
gilded
chair
in
the
salon
,
whence
she
could
witness
the
humours
of
the
dance
;
while
Mr.
Perry
,
full
of
dinner
,
hilarity
,
and
parental
pride
,
instituted
himself
Leader
of
the
Revels
,
encouraging
the
musicians
,
and
inducing
the
wildest
confusion
by
introducing
young
ladies
,
of
whose
names
and
nationalities
he
was
quite
uncertain
,
to
gentlemen
,
whom
he
did
not
in
the
very
least
know
.
Then
the
sweet
influences
of
accomplished
duty
pervaded
me
—
a
large
,
digestive
calm
,
subtly
mingled
with
the
blissful
serenity
of
one
upon
whose
undertakings
the
gods
have
smiled
,
so
that
he
finds
himself
both
a
better
and
abler
man
than
he
had
ever
imagined
himself
to
be
.
I
retired
into
the
hall
,
to
a
secluded
corner
behind
one
of
the
groups
of
pillars
supporting
the
first-floor
gallery
.
There
I
sat
and
smoked
,
and
thought
—
as
I
invariably
do
think
when
I
am
feeling
very
good
—
of
the
white
rectory
house
away
in
slumberous
Midlandshire
,
of
the
old
ecclesiastical
historian
(
his
living
interest
in
things
long
dead
,
his
deadly
indifference
regarding
things
still
living
)
,
and
of
the
woman
I
ought
to
have
married
,
the
only
woman
,
as
I
firmly
believe
(
when
I
am
feeling
very
good
)
,
that
I
ever
really
loved
,
the
woman
I
never
make
the
slightest
effort
to
see
—
sweet
Lydia
Castern
.
—
And
meanwhile
I
watched
the
passing
crowd
,
and
,
since
the
double
doors
of
the
salon
,
facing
me
,
stood
wide
open
,
