his　portmanteau　came　out　and　was　deposited　with　the　other　things
  behind；　and　he　got　up　beside　her。
  She　said：　〃Let　go；　Billy。〃
  The　roan　rushed　past　the　little　groom；　whose　top　boots　seemed　to
  twinkle　as　he　jumped　up　behind。　　They　whizzed　round　the　corner　from
  the　station　yard；　and　observing　that　her　mouth　was　just　a　little
  open　as　though　this　had　disconcerted　her；　he　said：
  〃He　pulls　a　bit。〃
  〃Yesbut　isn't　he　perfectly　sweet？〃
  〃He　IS　rather　decent。〃
  Ah！　when　SHE　came；　he　would　drive　her；　they　would　go　off　alone　in
  the　T…cart；　and　he　would　show　her　all　the　country　round。
  He　was　re…awakened　by　the　words：
  〃Oh！　I　know　he's　going　to　shy！〃　　At　once　there　was　a　swerve。　　The
  roan　was　cantering。
  They　had　passed　a　pig。
  〃Doesn't　he　look　lovely　now？　　Ought　I　to　have　whipped　him　when　he
  shied？〃
  〃Rather　not。〃
  〃Why？〃
  〃Because　horses　are　horses；　and　pigs　are　pigs；　it's　natural　for
  horses　to　shy　at　them。〃
  〃Oh！〃
  He　looked　up　at　her　then；　sidelong。　　The　curve　of　her　cheek　and
  chin　looked　very　soft；　and　rather　jolly。
  〃I　didn't　know　you；　you　know！〃　he　said。　　〃You've　grown　up　so
  awfully。〃
  〃I　knew　you　at　once。　　Your　voice　is　still　furry。〃
  There　was　another　silence；　till　she　said：
  〃He　does　pull；　ratherdoesn't　he；　going　home？〃
  〃Shall　I　drive？〃
  〃Yes；　please。〃
  He　stood　up　and　took　the　reins；　and　she　slipped　past　under　them　in
  front　of　him；　her　hair　smelt　exactly　like　hay；　as　she　was　softly
  bumped　against　him。
  She　kept　regarding　him　steadily　with　very　blue　eyes；　now　that　she
  was　relieved　of　driving。
  〃Cicely　was　afraid　you　weren't　coming；〃　she　said　suddenly。　　〃What
  sort　of　people　are　those　old　Stormers？〃
  He　felt　himself　grow　very　red；　choked　something　down；　and　answered：
  〃It's　only　he　that's　old。　　She's　not　more　than　about　thirty…five。〃
  〃That　IS　old。〃
  He　restrained　the　words：　〃Of　course　it's　old　to　a　kid　like　you！〃
  And；　instead；　he　looked　at　her。　　Was　she　exactly　a　kid？　　She　seemed
  quite　tall　（for　a　girl）　and　not　very　thin；　and　there　was　something
  frank　and　soft　about　her　face；　and　as　if　she　wanted　you　to　be　nice
  to　her。
  〃Is　she　very　pretty？〃
  This　time　he　did　not　go　red；　such　was　the　disturbance　that　question
  made　in　him。　　If　he　said：　〃Yes；〃　it　was　like　letting　the　world　know
  his　adoration；　but　to　say　anything　less　would　be　horrible；
  disloyal。　　So　he　did　say：　〃Yes；〃　listening　hard　to　the　tone　of　his
  own　voice。
  〃I　thought　she　was。　　Do　you　like　her　very　much？〃　　Again　he
  struggled　with　that　thing　in　his　throat；　and　again　said：　〃Yes。〃
  He　wanted　to　hate　this　girl；　yet　somehow　could　notshe　looked　so
  soft　and　confiding。　　She　was　staring　before　her　now；　her　lips　still
  just　parted；　so　evidently　THAT　had　not　been　because　of　Bolero's
  pulling；　they　were　pretty　all　the　same；　and　so　was　her　short；
  straight　little　nose；　and　her　chin；　and　she　was　awfully　fair。　　His
  thoughts　flew　back　to　that　other　faceso　splendid；　so　full　of
  life。　　Suddenly　he　found　himself　unable　to　picture　itfor　the
  first　time　since　he　had　started　on　his　journey　it　would　not　come
  before　him。
  〃Oh！　　Look！〃
  Her　hand　was　pulling　at　his　arm。　　There　in　the　field　over　the　hedge
  a　buzzard　hawk　was　dropping　like　a　stone。
  〃Oh；　Mark！　　Oh！　　Oh！　　It's　got　it！〃
  She　was　covering　her　face　with　both　her　hands；　and　the　hawk；　with　a
  young　rabbit　in　its　claws；　was　sailing　up　again。　　It　looked　so
  beautiful　that　he　did　not　somehow　feel　sorry　for　the　rabbit；　but　he
  wanted　to　stroke　and　comfort　her；　and　said：
  〃It's　all　right；　Sylvia；　it　really　is。　　The　rabbit's　dead　already；
  you　know。　　And　it's　quite　natural。〃
  She　took　her　hands　away　from　a　face　that　looked　just　as　if　she　were
  going　to　cry。
  〃Poor　little　rabbit！　　It　was　such　a　little　one！〃
  XII
  On　the　afternoon　of　the　day　following　he　sat　in　the　smoking…room
  with　a　prayer　book　in　his　hand；　and　a　frown　on　his　forehead；
  reading　the　Marriage　Service。　　The　book　had　been　effectively
  designed　for　not　spoiling　the　figure　when　carried　in　a　pocket。　　But
  this　did　not　matter；　for　even　if　he　could　have　read　the　words；　he
  would　not　have　known　what　they　meant；　seeing　that　he　was　thinking
  how　he　could　make　a　certain　petition　to　a　certain　person　sitting
  just　behind　at　a　large　bureau　with　a　sliding　top；　examining
  artificial　flies。
  He　fixed　at　last　upon　this　form：
  〃Gordy！〃　　（Why　Gordy　no　one　quite　knew　nowwhether　because　his
  name　was　George；　or　by　way　of　corruption　from　Guardian。）　　〃When　Cis
  is　gone　it'll　be　rather　awful；　won't　it？〃
  〃Not　a　bit。〃
  Mr。　Heatherley　was　a　man　of　perhaps　sixty…four；　if　indeed　guardians
  have　ages；　and　like　a　doctor　rather　than　a　squire；　his　face　square
  and　puffy；　his　eyes　always　half…closed；　and　his　curly　mouth　using
  bluntly　a　voice　of　that　refined　coarseness　peculiar　to　people　of
  old　family。
  〃But　it　will；　you　know！〃
  〃Well；　supposin'　it　is？〃
  〃I　only　wondered　if　you'd　mind　asking　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Stormer　to　come
  here　for　a　littlethey　were　awfully　kind　to　me　out　there。〃
  〃Strange　man　and　woman！　　My　dear　fellow！〃
  〃Mr。　Stormer　likes　fishing。〃
  〃Does　he？　　And　what　does　she　like？〃
  Very　grateful　that　his　back　was　turned；　the　boy　said：
  〃I　don't　knowanythingshe's　awfully　nice。〃
  〃Ah！　　Pretty？〃
  He　answered　faintly：
  〃I　don't　know　what　YOU　call　pretty；　Gordy。〃
  He　felt；　rather　than　saw；　his　guardian　scrutinizing　him　with　those
  half…closed　eyes　under　their　gouty　lids。
  〃All　right；　do　as　you　like。　　Have　'em　here　and　have　done　with　it；
  by　all　means。〃
  Did　his　heart　jump？　　Not　quite；　but　it　felt　warm　and　happy；　and　he
  said：
  〃Thanks　awfully；　Gordy。　　It's　most　frightfully　decent　of　you；〃　and
  turned　again　to　the　Marriage　Service。　　He　could　make　out　some　of
  it。　　In　places　it　seemed　to　him　fine；　and　in　other　places　queer。
  About　obeying；　for　instance。　　If　you　loved　anybody；　it　seemed
  rotten　to　expect　them　to　obey　you。　　If　you　loved　them　and　they
  loved　you；　there　couldn't　ever　be　any　question　of　obeying；　because
  you　would　both　do　the　things　always　of　your　own　accord。　　And　if
  they　didn't　love　you；　or　you　them；　thenoh！　then　it　would　be
  simply　too　disgusting　for　anything；　to　go　on　living　with　a　person
  you　didn't　love　or　who　didn't　love　you。　　But　of　course　SHE　didn't
  love　his　tutor。　　Had　she　once？　　Those　bright　doubting　eyes；　that
  studiously　satiric　mouth　came　very　clearly　up　before　him。　　You
  could　not　love　them；　and　yethe　was　really　very　decent。　　A　feeling
  as　of　pity；　almost　of　affection；　rose　in　him　for　his　remote　tutor。
  It　was　queer　to　feel　so；　since　the　last　time　they　had　talked
  together　out　there；　on　the　terrace；　he　had　not　felt　at　all　like
  that。
  The　noise　of　the　bureau　top　sliding　down　aroused　him；　Mr。
  Heatherley　was　closing　in　the　remains　of　the　artificial　flies。
  That　meant　he　would　be　going　out　to　fish。　　And　the　moment　he　heard
  the　door　shut；　Mark　sprang　up；　slid　back　the　bureau　top；　and　began
  to　write　his　letter。　　It　was　hard　work。
  〃DEAR　MRS。　STORMER；
  〃My　guardian　wishes　me　to　beg　you　and　Mr。　Stormer　to　pay　us　a　visit
  as　soon　as　you　come　back　from　the　Tyrol。　　Please　tell　Mr。　Stormer
  that　only　the　very　best　fishermenlike　himcan　catch　our　trout；
  the　rest　catch　our　trees。　　This　is　me　catching　our　trees　（here
  followed　a　sketch）。　　My　sister　is　going　to　be　married　to…morrow；
  and　it　will　be　disgusting　afterwards　unless　you　come。　　So　do　come；
  please。　　And　with　my　very　best　greetings；
  〃I　am；
  〃Your　humble　servant；
  〃M。　LENNAN。〃
  When　he　had　stamped　this　production　and　dropped　it　in　the　letter…
  box；　he　had　the　oddest　feeling；　as　if　he　had　been　let　out　of
  school；　a　desire　to　rush　about；　to　frolic。　　What　should　he　do？
  Cis；　of　course；　would　be　busythey　were　all　busy　about　the
  wedding。　　He　would　go　and　saddle　Bolero；　and　jump　him　in　the　park；
  or　should　he　go　down　along　the　river　and　watch　the　jays？　　Both
  seemed　lonely　occupations。　　And　he　stood　in　the　windowdejected。
  At　the　age　of　five；　walking　with　his　nurse；　he　had　been　overheard
  remarking：　〃Nurse；　I　want　to　eat　a　biscuitALL　THE　WAY　I　want　to
  eat　a　biscuit！〃　and　it　was　still　rather　so　with　him　perhapsall
  the　way　he　wanted　to　eat　a　biscuit。　　He　bethought　him　then　of　his
  modelling；　and　went　out　to　the　little　empty　greenhouse　where　he
  kept　his　masterpieces。　　They　seemed　to　him　now　quite　horribleand
  two　of　them；　the　sheep　and　the　turkey；　he　marked　out　for　summary
  destruction。　　The　idea　occurred　to　him　that　he　might　try　and　model
  that　hawk　escaping　with　the　little　rabbit；　but　when　he　tried；　no
  nice　feeling　came；　and　flinging　the　things　down　he　went　out。　　He
  ran　along　the　unweeded　path　to　the　tennis　groundlawn　tennis　was
  then　just　coming　in。　　The　grass　looked　very　rough。　　But　then；
  everything　about　that　little　manor　house　was　left　rather　wild　and
  anyhow；　why；　nobody　quite　knew；　and　nobody　seemed　to　mind。　　He
  stood　there　scrutinizing　the　condition　of　the　ground。　　A　sound　of
  humming　came　to　his　ears。　　He　got　up　on　the　wall。　　There　was　Sylvia
  sitting　in　the　field；　making　a　wreath　of　honeysuckle。　　He　stood
  very　quiet　and　listened。　　She　looked　prettylost　in　her　tune。
  Then　he　slid　down　off　the　wall；　and　said　gently：
  〃Hallo！〃
  She　looked　round　at　him；　her　eyes　very　wide　open。
  〃Your　voice　is　jolly；　Sylvia！〃
  〃Oh；　no！〃
  〃It　is。　　Come　and　climb　a　tree！〃
  〃Where？〃
  〃In