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gently。 〃I am sorry。 Is there anything I can do？〃
〃Your niece has gone out to lunch；〃 Hamel replied shortly。
Mr。 Fentolin stopped painting。 His face was full of concern as he
looked up at Hamel。
〃My dear sir；〃 he exclaimed； 〃how can I apologise！ Of course she
has gone out to lunch。 She has gone out to Lady Saxthorpe's。 I
remember the subject being discussed。 I myself； in fact； was the
instigator of her going。 I owe you a thousand apologies； Mr。 Hamel。
Let me make what amends are possible for your useless journey。
Dine with us to…night。〃
〃You are very kind。〃
〃A poor amends；〃 Mr。 Fentolin continued。 〃A morning like this was
made for lovers。 Sunshine and blue sky； a salt breeze flavoured
just a little with that lavender； and a stroll through my spring
gardens； where my hyacinths are like a field of purple and gold；
a mantle of jewels upon the brown earth。 Ah； well！ One's thoughts
will wander to the beautiful things of life。 There were once women
who loved me； Mr。 Hamel。〃
Hamel looked doubtfully at the strange little figure in the chair。
Was this genuine； he wondered； a voluntary outburst； or was it some
subtle attempt to incite sympathy？ Mr。 Fentolin seemed almost to
have read his thought。
〃It is not for the sake of your pity that I say this；〃 he continued。
〃Mine is only the passing across the line which age as well as
infirmity makes inevitable。 No one in the world who lives to grow
old； and who has loved and felt the fire of it in his veins； can
pass that line without sorrow； or look back without a pang。 I am
among a great army。 Well； well； I shall paint no more to…day；〃 he
concluded abruptly。
〃Where is your servant？ 〃 Hamel asked。
Mr。 Fentolin glanced around him carelessly。
〃He has wandered away out of sight。 He knows well how necessary
solitude is to me if once I take the brush between my fingers
… solitude natural and entire； I mean。 If any one is within a
dozen yards of me I know it； even though I cannot see them。
Meekins is wandering somewhere the other side of the Tower。〃
〃Shall I call him ？〃
〃On no account；〃 Mr。 Fentolin begged。 〃Presently he will appear；
in plenty of time。 There is the morning to be passed … barely
eleven o'clock； I think； now。 I shall sit in my chair； and sink a
little down； and dream of these beautiful lights； these rolling；
foam…flecked waves； these patches of blue and shifting green。 I
can form them in my brain。 I can make a picture there； even though
my fingers refuse to move。 You are not an aesthete； I think； Mr。
Hamel？ The study of beauty does not mean to you what it did to your
father； and my father； and； in a smaller way to me。〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 Hamel confessed。 〃I believe I feel these things
somewhere； because they bring a queer sense of content with them。
I am afraid； though； that my artistic perceptions are not so keen
as some men's。〃
Mr。 Fentolin looked at him thoughtfully。
〃It is the physical life in your veins … too splendid to permit you
abstract pleasures。 Compensations again； you see … compensations。
I wonder what the law is that governs these things。 I have
forgotten sometimes；〃 he went on； 〃forgotten my own infirmities in
the soft intoxication of a wonderful seascape。 Only；〃 he went on；
his face a little grey； 〃it is the physical in life which triumphs。
There are the hungry hours which nothing will satisfy。〃
His head sank； his chin rested upon his chest。 He had all the
appearance now of a man who talks in bitter earnest。 Yet Hamel
wondered。 He looked towards the Tower； there was no sign of Meekins。
The sea…gulls went screaming above their heads。 Mr。 Fentolin never
moved。 His eyes seemed half closed。 It was only when Hamel rose to
his feet that he looked swiftly up。
〃Stay with me； I beg you； Mr。 Hamel；〃 he said。 〃I am in one of
the moods when solitude； even for a moment； is dangerous。 Do you
know what I have sometimes thought to myself？〃
He pointed to the planked way which led down the steep； pebbly beach
to the sea。
〃I have sometimes thought；〃 he went on； 〃that it would be glorious
to find a friend to stand by my side at the top of the planks； just
there； when the tide was high； and to bid him loose my chair and to
steer it myself； to steer it down the narrow path into the arms of
the sea。 The first touch of the salt waves； the last touch of life。
Why not？ One sleeps without fear。〃
He lifted his head suddenly。 Meekins had am peared； coming round
from the back of the Tower。 Instantly Mr。 Fentolin's whole manner
changed。 He sat up in his chair。
〃It is arranged； then；〃 he said。 〃You dine with us to…night。 For
the other matters of which you have spoken； well； let them rest in
the hands of the gods。 You are not very kind to me。 I am not sure
whether you would make Esther a good husband。 I am not sure； even；
that I like you。 You take no pains to make yourself agreeable。
Considering that your father was an artist； you seem to me rather a
dull and uninspired young man。 But who can tell？ There may be
things stirring beneath that torpid brain of yours of which no other
person knows save yourself。〃
The concentrated gaze of Mr。 Fentolin's keen eyes was hard to meet；
but Hamel came out of the ordeal without flinching。
〃At eight o'clock； Mr。 Fentolin；〃 he answered。 〃I can see that I
must try to earn your better opinion。
Hamel read steadily for the remainder of the morning。 It was past
one o'clock when he rose stiffly from his seat among the sand
knolls and； strolling back to the Tower； opened the door and
entered。 The cloth was laid for luncheon in the little
sitting…room； but there were no signs of Hannah Cox。 He passed
on into the kitchen and came to a sudden standstill。 Once more
the memory of his own work passed away from him。 Once more he
was back again among that queer； clouded tangle of strange
suspicions； of thrilling； half…formed fears； which had assailed
him at times ever since his arrival at St； David's。 He stopped
quite short。 The words which rose to his lips died away。 He
felt the breathless； compelling need for silence and grew tense in
the effort to make no sound。
Hannah Cox was kneeling on the stone floor。 Her ear was close to
the crack of the door which led into the boat…house。 Her face；
half turned from it； was set in a strange； concentrated passion of
listening； her lips were parted； her eyes half closed。 She took
no more notice of Hamel or his arrival than if he had been some
useless piece of furniture。 Every faculty seemed to be absorbed in
that one intense effort of listening。 There was no need of her
out…stretched finger。 Hamel fell in at once with a mood so mesmeric。
He； too； listened。 The small clock which she had brought with her
from the village ticked away upon the mantelpiece。 The full sea
fell with placid softness upon the high beach outside。 Some slight
noise of cooking came from the stove。 Save for these things there
was silence。 Yet； for a space of time which Hamel could never have
measured； they both listened。 When at last the woman rose to her
feet； Hamel； finding words at last； was surprised to find that his
throat was dry。
〃W