It　looked　cruel　somehow；　sagged　all　crooked；　and　out　of　place　up
  here；　a　piece　of　bad　manners；　as　if　people　with　only　one　idea　had
  dragged　it　in；　without　caring　whether　or　no　it　suited　what　was
  around　it。　　One　might　just　as　well　introduce　one　of　these　rocks
  into　that　jolly　dark　church　where　he　had　left　her　the　other　day；　as
  put　a　cross　up　here。
  A　sound　of　bells；　and　of　sniffing　and　scuffling；　roused　him；　a
  large　grey　goat　had　come　up　and　was　smelling　at　his　hairthe
  leader　of　a　flock；　that　were　soon　all　round　him；　solemnly　curious；
  with　their　queer　yellow　oblong…pupilled　eyes；　and　their　quaint
  little　beards　and　tails。　　Awfully　decent　beastsand　friendly！
  What　jolly　things　to　model！　　He　lay　still　（having　learnt　from　the
  fisherman；　his　guardian；　that　necessary　habit　in　the　presence　of
  all　beasts）；　while　the　leader　sampled　the　flavour　of　his　neck。　　The
  passage　of　that　long　rough　tongue　athwart　his　skin　gave　him　an
  agreeable　sensation；　awakened　a　strange　deep　sense　of　comradeship。
  He　restrained　his　desire　to　stroke　the　creature's　nose。　　It
  appeared　that　they　now　all　wished　to　taste　his　neck；　but　some　were
  timid；　and　the　touch　of　their　tongues　simply　a　tickle；　so　that　he
  was　compelled　to　laugh；　and　at　that　peculiar　sound　they　withdrew
  and　gazed　at　him。　　There　seemed　to　be　no　one　with　them；　then；　at　a
  little　distance；　quite　motionless　in　the　shade　of　a　rock；　he　spied
  the　goatherd；　a　boy　about　his　own　age。　　How　lonely　he　must　be　up
  here　all　day！　　Perhaps　he　talked　to　his　goats。　　He　looked　as　if　he
  might。　　One　would　get　to　have　queer　thoughts　up　here；　get　to　know
  the　rocks；　and　clouds；　and　beasts；　and　what　they　all　meant。　　The
  goatherd　uttered　a　peculiar　whistle；　and　something；　Lennan　could
  not　tell　exactly　what；　happened　among　the　goatsa　sort　of　〃Here；
  Sir！〃　seemed　to　come　from　them。　　And　then　the　goatherd　moved　out
  from　the　shade　and　went　over　to　the　edge　of　the　plateau；　and　two　of
  the　goats　that　were　feeding　there　thrust　their　noses　into　his　hand；
  and　rubbed　themselves　against　his　legs。　　The　three　looked　beautiful
  standing　there　together　on　the　edge　against　the　sky。　。　。　。
  That　night；　after　dinner；　the　dining…room　was　cleared　for　dancing；
  so　that　the　guests　might　feel　freedom　and　gaiety　in　the　air。　　And；
  indeed；　presently；　a　couple　began　sawing　up　and　down　over　the
  polished　boards；　in　the　apologetic　manner　peculiar　to　hotel　guests。
  Then　three　pairs　of　Italians　suddenly　launched　themselves　into
  spacetwirling　and　twirling；　and　glaring　into　each　other's　eyes；
  and　some　Americans；　stimulated　by　their　precept；　began　airily
  backing　and　filling。　　Two　of　the　'English　Grundys'　with　carefully
  amused　faces　next　moved　out。　　To　Lennan　it　seemed　that　they　all
  danced　very　well；　better　than　he　could。　　Did　he　dare　ask　HER？　　Then
  he　saw　the　young　violinist　go　up；　saw　her　rise　and　take　his　arm　and
  vanish　into　the　dancing…room；　and　leaning　his　forehead　against　a
  window…pane；　with　a　sick；　beaten　feeling；　he　stayed；　looking　out
  into　the　moonlight；　seeing　nothing。　　He　heard　his　name　spoken；　his
  tutor　was　standing　beside　him。
  〃You　and　I；　Lennan；　must　console　each　other。　　Dancing's　for　the
  young；　eh？〃
  Fortunately　it　was　the　boy's　instinct　and　his　training　not　to　show
  his　feelings；　to　be　pleasant；　though　suffering。
  〃Yes；　sir。　　Jolly　moonlight；　isn't　it；　out　there？〃
  〃Ah！　very　jolly；　yes。　　When　I　was　your　age　I　twirled　the　light
  fantastic　with　the　best。　　But　gradually；　Lennan；　one　came　to　see　it
  could　not　be　done　without　a　partnerthere　was　the　rub！　　Tell　me
  do　you　regard　women　as　responsible　beings？　　I　should　like　to　have
  your　opinion　on　that。〃
  It　was；　of　course；　ironicalyet　there　was　something　in　those
  wordssomething！
  〃I　think　it's　you；　sir；　who　ought　to　give　me　yours。〃
  〃My　dear　Lennanmy　experience　is　a　mere　nothing！〃
  That　was　meant　for　unkindness　to　her！　　He　would　not　answer。　　If
  only　Stormer　would　go　away！　　The　music　had　stopped。　　They　would　be
  sitting　out　somewhere；　talking！　　He　made　an　effort；　and　said：
  〃I　was　up　the　hill　at　the　back　this　morning；　where　the　cross　is。
  There　were　some　jolly　goats。〃
  And　suddenly　he　saw　her　coming。　　She　was　aloneflushed；　smiling；
  it　struck　him　that　her　frock　was　the　same　colour　as　the　moonlight。
  〃Harold；　will　you　dance？〃
  He　would　say　'Yes；'　and　she　would　be　gone　again！　　But　his　tutor
  only　made　her　a　little　bow；　and　said　with　that　smile　of　his：
  〃Lennan　and　I　have　agreed　that　dancing　is　for　the　young。〃
  〃Sometimes　the　old　must　sacrifice　themselves。　　Mark；　will　you
  dance？〃
  Behind　him　he　heard　his　tutor　murmur：
  〃Ah！　　Lennanyou　betray　me！〃
  That　little　silent　journey　with　her　to　the　dancing…room　was　the
  happiest　moment　perhaps　that　he　had　ever　known。　　And　he　need　not
  have　been　so　much　afraid　about　his　dancing。　　Truly；　it　was　not
  polished；　but　it　could　not　spoil　hers；　so　light；　firm；　buoyant！　　It
  was　wonderful　to　dance　with　her。　　Only　when　the　music　stopped　and
  they　sat　down　did　he　know　how　his　head　was　going　round。　　He　felt
  strange；　very　strange　indeed。　　He　heard　her　say：
  〃What　is　it；　dear　boy？　　You　look　so　white！〃
  Without　quite　knowing　what　he　did；　he　bent　his　face　towards　the
  hand　that　she　had　laid　on　his　sleeve；　then　knew　no　more；　having
  fainted。
  VIII
  Growing　boyover…exertion　in　the　morning！　　That　was　all！　　He　was
  himself　very　quickly；　and　walked　up　to　bed　without　assistance。
  Rotten　of　him！　　Never　was　anyone　more　ashamed　of　his　little
  weakness　than　this　boy。　　Now　that　he　was　really　a　trifle
  indisposed；　he　simply　could　not　bear　the　idea　of　being　nursed　at
  all　or　tended。　　Almost　rudely　he　had　got　away。　　Only　when　he　was　in
  bed　did　he　remember　the　look　on　her　face　as　he　left　her。　　How
  wistful　and　unhappy；　seeming　to　implore　him　to　forgive　her！　　As　if
  there　were　anything　to　forgive！　　As　if　she　had　not　made　him
  perfectly　happy　when　she　danced　with　him！　　He　longed　to　say　to　her：
  〃If　I　might　be　close　to　you　like　that　one　minute　every　day；　then　I
  don't　mind　all　the　rest！〃　　Perhaps　he　would　dare　say　that　to…
  morrow。　　Lying　there　he　still　felt　a　little　funny。　　He　had
  forgotten　to　close　the　ribs　of　the　blinds；　and　moonlight　was
  filtering　in；　but　he　was　too　idle；　too　drowsy　to　get　up　now　and　do
  it。　　They　had　given　him　brandy；　rather　a　lotthat　perhaps　was　the
  reason　he　felt　so　queer；　not　ill；　but　mazy；　as　if　dreaming；　as　if
  he　had　lost　the　desire　ever　to　move　again。　　Just　to　lie　there；　and
  watch　the　powdery　moonlight；　and　hear　faraway　music　throbbing　down
  below；　and　still　feel　the　touch　of　her；　as　in　the　dance　she　swayed
  against　him；　and　all　the　time　to　have　the　scent　about　him　of
  flowers！　　His　thoughts　were　dreams；　his　dreams　thoughtsall
  precious　unreality。　　And　then　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　moonlight
  was　gathered　into　a　single　slip　of　pallorthere　was　a　thrumming；　a
  throbbing；　and　that　shape　of　moonlight　moved　towards　him。　　It　came
  so　close　that　he　felt　its　warmth　against　his　brow；　it　sighed；
  hovered；　drew　back　soundless；　and　was　gone。　　He　must　have　fallen
  then　into　dreamless　sleep。　。　。　。
  What　time　was　it　when　he　was　awakened　by　that　delicate　'rat…tat'　to
  see　his　tutor　standing　in　the　door…way　with　a　cup　of　tea？
  Was　young　Lennan　all　right？　　Yes；　he　was　perfectly　all　rightwould
  be　down　directly！　　It　was　most　frightfully　good　of　Mr。　Stormer　to
  come！　　He　really　didn't　want　anything。
  Yes；　yes；　but　the　maimed　and　the　halt　must　be　attended　to！
  His　face　seemed　to　the　boy　very　kind　just　thenonly　to　laugh　at
  him　a　very　littlejust　enough。　　And　it　was　awfully　decent　of　him
  to　have　come；　and　to　stand　there　while　he　drank　the　tea。　　He　was
  really　all　right；　but　for　a　little　headache。　　Many　times　while　he
  was　dressing　he　stood　still；　trying　to　remember。　　That　white　slip
  of　moonlight？　　Was　it　moonlight？　　Was　it　part　of　a　dream；　or　was
  it；　could　it　have　been　she；　in　her　moonlight…coloured　frock？　　Why
  had　he　not　stayed　awake？　　He　would　not　dare　to　ask　her；　and　now
  would　never　know　whether　the　vague　memory　of　warmth　on　his　brow　had
  been　a　kiss。
  He　breakfasted　alone　in　the　room　where　they　had　danced。　　There　were
  two　letters　for　him。　　One　from　his　guardian　enclosing　money；　and
  complaining　of　the　shyness　of　the　trout；　the　other　from　his　sister。
  The　man　she　was　engaged　tohe　was　a　budding　diplomat；　attached　to
  the　Embassy　at　Romewas　afraid　that　his　leave　was　going　to　be
  curtailed。　　They　would　have　to　be　married　at　once。　　They　might　even
  have　to　get　a　special　licence。　　It　was　lucky　Mark　was　coming　back
  so　soon。　　They　simply　MUST　have　him　for　best　man。　　The　only
  bridesmaid　now　would　be　Sylvia。　。　。　。　　Sylvia　Doone？　　Why；　she　was
  only　a　kid！　　And　the　memory　of　a　little　girl　in　a　very　short
  holland　frock；　with　flaxen　hair；　pretty　blue　eyes；　and　a　face　so
  fair　that　you　could　almost　see　through　it；　came　up　before　him。　　But
  that；　of　course；　was　six　years　ago；　she　would　not　still　be　in　a
  frock　that　showed　her　knees；　or　wear　beads；　or　be　afraid　of　bulls
  that　were　never　there。　　It　was　stupid　being　best　manthey　might
  have　got　some　decent　chap！　　And　then　he　forgot　allfor　there　was
  SHE；　out　on　the　terrace。　　In　his　rush　to　join　her　he　passed　several
  of　the　'English　Grundys；'　who　stared　at　him　askance。　　Indeed；　his
  conduct　of　the　night　before　might　well　have　upset　them。　　An　Oxford
  man；