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pretty little neglect of the work that my heart is set upon。 Some
day； perhaps； I will take a holiday； and then we shall have a new
honeymoon。〃
For a moment Henrietta seemed about to cry。 Suddenly she
exclaimed with enthusiasm： 〃I will stay with you； Sidney。 I will
share your work； whatever it may be。 I will dress as a dairymaid；
and have a little pail to carry milk in。 The world is nothing to
me except when you are with me； and I should love to live here
and sketch from nature。〃
He blenched； and partially rose； unable to conceal his dismay。
She； resolved not to be cast off； seized him and clung to him。
This was the movement that excited the derision of Wickens's boy
in the adjacent gravel pit。 Trefusis was glad of the
interruption； and； when he gave the boy twopence and bade him
begone； half hoped that he would insist on remaining。 But though
an obdurate boy on most occasions； he proved complaisant on this；
and withdrew to the high road； where he made over one of his
pennies to a phantom gambler； and tossed with him until recalled
from his dual state by the appearance of Fairholme's party。
In the meantime； Henrietta urgently returned to her proposition。
〃We should be so happy；〃 she said。 〃I would housekeep for you；
and you could work as much as you pleased。 Our life would be a
long idyll。〃
〃My love；〃 he said； shaking his head as she looked beseechingly
at him； 〃I have too much Manchester cotton in my constitution for
long idylls。 And the truth is； that the first condition of work
with me is your absence。 When you are with me； I can do nothing
but make love to you。 You bewitch me。 When I escape from you for
a moment； it is only to groan remorsefully over the hours you
have tempted me to waste and the energy you have futilized。〃
〃If you won't live with me you had no right to marry me。〃
〃True。 But that is neither your fault nor mine。 We have found
that we love each other too much that our intercourse hinders
our usefulnessand so we must part。 Not for ever； my dear； only
until you have cares and business of your own to fill up your
life and prevent you from wasting mine。〃
〃I believe you are mad；〃 she said petulantly。 〃The world is mad
nowadays； and is galloping to the deuce as fast as greed can goad
it。 I merely stand out of the rush； not liking its destination。
Here comes a barge； the commander of which is devoted to me
because he believes that I am organizing a revolution for the
abolition of lock dues and tolls。 We will go aboard and float
down to Lyvern； whence you can return to London。 You had better
telegraph from the junction to the college； there must be a hue
and cry out after us by this time。 You shall have my address； and
we can write to one another or see one another whenever we
please。 Or you can divorce me for deserting you。〃
〃You would like me to； I know；〃 said Henrietta； sobbing。
〃I should die of despair； my darling；〃 he said complacently。
〃Ship aho…o…o…y！ Stop crying； Hetty； for God's sake。 You lacerate
my very soul。〃
〃Ah…o…o…o…o…o…o…oy； master！〃 roared the bargee。
〃Good arternoon； sir；〃 said a man who； with a short whip in his
hand； trudged beside the white horse that towed the barge。 〃Come
up！〃 he added malevolently to the horse。
〃I want to get on board； and go up to Lyvern with you；〃 said
Trefusis。 〃He seems a well fed brute； that。〃
〃Better fed nor me；〃 said the man。 〃You can't get the work out of
a hunderfed 'orse that you can out of a hunderfed man or woman。
I've bin in parts of England where women pulled the barges。 They
come cheaper nor 'orses； because it didn't cost nothing to get
new ones when the old ones we wore out。〃
〃Then why not employ them？〃 said Trefusis； with ironical gravity。
〃The principle of buying laborforce in the cheapest market and
selling its product in the dearest has done much to make
Englishmenwhat they are。〃
〃The railway comp'nies keeps 'orspittles for the like of 'IM；〃
said the man； with a cunning laugh； indicating the horse by
smacking him on the belly with the butt of the whip。 〃If ever you
try bein' a laborer in earnest； governor； try it on four legs。
You'll find it far preferable to trying on two。〃
〃This man is one of my converts；〃 said Trefusis apart to
Henrietta。 〃He told me the other day that since I set him
thinking he never sees a gentleman without feeling inclined to
heave a brick at him。 I find that socialism is often
misunderstood by its least intelligent supporters and opponents
to mean simply unrestrained indulgence of our natural propensity
to heave bricks at respectable persons。 Now I am going to carry
you along this plank。 If you keep quiet； we may reach the barge。
If not； we shall reach the bottom of the canal。〃
He carried her safely over； and exchanged some friendly words
with the bargee。 Then he took Henrietta forward； and stood
watching the water as they were borne along noiselessly between
the hilly pastures of the country。
〃This would be a fairy journey；〃 he said； 〃if one could forget
the woman down below； cooking her husband's dinner in a stifling
hole about as big as your wardrobe； and〃
〃Oh； don't talk any more of these things；〃 she said crossly； 〃I
cannot help them。 I have my own troubles to think of。 HER husband
lives with her。〃
〃She will change places with you； my dear； if you make her the
offer。〃
She had no answer ready。 After a pause he began to speak
poetically of the scenery and to offer her loverlike speeches and
compliments。 But she felt that he intended to get rid of her； and
he knew that it was useless to try to hide that design from her。
She turned away and sat down on a pile of bricks； only writhing
angrily when he pressed her for a word。 As they neared the end of
her voyage； and her intense protest against desertion remained；
as she thought； only half expressed； her sense of injury grew
almost unbearable。
They landed on a wharf； and went through an unswept；
deeply…rutted lane up to the main street of Lyvern。 Here he
became Smilash again； walking deferentially a little before her；
as if she had hired him to point out the way。 She then saw that
her last opportunity of appealing to him had gone by； and she
nearly burst into tears at the thought。 It occurred to her that
she might prevail upon him by making a scene in public。 But the
street was a busy one； and she was a little afraid of him。
Neither consideration would have checked her in one of her
ungovernable moods； but now she was in an abject one。 Her moods
seemed to come only when they were harmful to her。 She suffered
herself to be put into the railway omnibus； which was on the
point of starting from the innyard when they arrived there； and
though he touched his hat； asked whether she had any message to
give him； and in a tender whisper wished her a safe journey； she
would not look at or speak to him。 So they parted； and he
returned alone to the chalet； where he was received by the two
policemen who subsequently brought him to the college。
CHAPTER VI
The year wore on； and the long winter evenings set in。 The
studious young ladies at Alton College； elbows on desk and hands
over ears； shuddered chillily in fur tippets whilst