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name not only with his own； but with those of persons of whom I
know nothing except that I would rather not be connected with
them in any way。〃
〃What does it matter？〃 said Jane。 〃Nobody cares twopence。〃
〃_I_ care；〃 said Sir Charles angrily。 〃No sensible person can
accuse me of exaggerating my own importance because I value my
reputation sufficiently to object to my approval being publicly
cited in support of a cause with which I have no sympathy。〃
〃Perhaps Mr。 Trefusis has had nothing to do with it；〃 said
Agatha。 〃The papers publish whatever they please； don't they？〃
〃That's right； Agatha；〃 said Jane maliciously。 〃Don't let anyone
speak ill of him。〃
〃I am not speaking ill of him；〃 said Sir Charles； before Agatha
could retort。 〃It is a mere matter of feeling； and I should not
have mentioned it had I known the altered relations between him
and Miss Wylie。〃
〃Pray don't speak of them；〃 said Agatha。 〃I have a mind to run
away by the next train。〃
Sir Charles； to change the subject； suggested a duet。
Meanwhile Erskine； returning through the village from his morning
ride； had met Trefusis； and attempted to pass him with a nod。 But
Trefusis called to him to stop； and he dismounted reluctantly。
〃Just a word to say that I am going to be married；〃 said
Trefusis。
〃To？〃 Erskine could not add Gertrude's name。
〃To one of our friends at the Beeches。 Guess to which。〃
〃To Miss Lindsay； I presume。〃
〃What in the fiend's name has put it into all your heads that
Miss Lindsay and I are particularly attached to one another？〃
exclaimed Trefusis。 〃YOU have always appeared to me to be the man
for Miss Lindsay。 I am going to marry Miss Wylie。〃
〃Really！〃 exclaimed Erskine； with a sensation of suddenly thawing
after a bitter frost。
〃Of course。 And now； Erskine； you have the advantage of being a
poor man。 Do not let that splendid girl marry for money。 If you
go further you are likely to fare worse； and so is she。〃 Then he
nodded and walked away； leaving the other staring after him。
〃If he has jilted her； he is a scoundrel；〃 said Erskine。 〃I am
sorry I didn't tell him so。〃
He mounted and rode slowly along the Riverside Road； partly
suspecting Trefusis of some mystification； but inclining to
believe in him； and； in any case； to take his advice as to
Gertrude。 The conversation he had overheard in the avenue still
perplexed him。 He could not reconcile it with Trefusis's
profession of disinterestedness towards her。
His bicycle carried him noiselessly on its india…rubber tires to
the place by which the hemlock grew and there he saw Gertrude
sitting on the low earthen wall that separated the field from the
road。 Her straw bag； with her scissors in it； lay beside her。 Her
fingers were interlaced； and her hands rested； palms downwards；
on her knee。 Her expression was rather vacant； and so little
suggestive of any serious emotion that Erskine laughed as he
alighted close to her。
〃Are you tired？〃 he said。
〃No；〃 she replied； not startled； and smiling mechanicallyan
unusual condescension on her part。
〃Indulging in a day…dream？〃
〃No。〃 She moved a little to one side and concealed the basket
with her dress。
He began to fear that something was wrong。 〃Is it possible that
you have ventured among those poisonous plants again？〃 he said。
〃Are you ill？〃
〃Not at all；〃 she replied； rousing herself a little。 〃Your
solicitude is quite thrown away。 I am perfectly well。〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said； snubbed。 〃I thoughtDon't you
think it dangerous to sit on that damp wall？〃
〃It is not damp。 It is crumbling into dust with dryness。〃 An
unnatural laugh； with which she concluded； intensified his
uneasiness。
He began a sentence； stopped； and to gain time to recover
himself； placed his bicycle in the opposite ditch； a proceeding
which she witnessed with impatience； as it indicated his
intention to stay and talk。 She； however； was the first to speak；
and she did so with a callousness that shocked him。
〃Have you heard the news？〃
〃What news？〃
〃About Mr。 Trefusis and Agatha。 They are engaged。〃
〃So Trefusis told me。 I met him just now in the village。 I was
very glad to hear it。〃
〃Of course。〃
〃But I had a special reason for being glad。〃
〃Indeed？〃
〃I was desperately afraid； before he told me the truth； that he
had other viewsviews that might have proved fatal to my dearest
hopes。〃
Gertrude frowned at him； and the frown roused him to brave her。
He lost his self…command； already shaken by her strange behavior。
〃You know that I love you； Miss Lindsay；〃 he said。 〃It may not be
a perfect love； but； humanly speaking； it is a true one。 I almost
told you so that day when we were in the billiard room together；
and I did a very dishonorable thing the same evening。 When you
were speaking to Trefusis in the avenue I was close to you； and I
listened。〃
〃Then you heard him；〃 cried Gertrude vehemently。 〃You heard him
swear that he was in earnest。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Erskine； trembling； 〃and I thought he meant in
earnest in loving you。 You can hardly blame me for that： I was in
love myself； and love is blind and jealous。 I never hoped again
until he told me that he was to be married to Miss Wylie。 May I
speak to you； now that I know I was mistaken； or that you have
changed your mind？〃
〃Or that he has changed his mind；〃 said Gertrude scornfully。
Erskine； with a new anxiety for her sake； checked himself。 Her
dignity was dear to him； and he saw that her disappointment had
made her reckless of it。 〃Do not say anything to me now； Miss
Lindsay； lest〃
〃What have I said？ What have I to say？〃
〃Nothing； except on my own affairs。 I love you dearly。〃
She made an impatient movement； as if that were a very
insignificant matter。
〃You believe me； I hope；〃 he said； timidly。
Gertrude made an effort to recover her habitual ladylike reserve；
but her energy failed before she had done more than raise her
head。 She relapsed into her listless attitude； and made a faint
gesture of intolerance。
〃You cannot be quite indifferent to being loved；〃 he said；
becoming more nervous and more urgent。 〃Your existence
constitutes all my happiness。 I offer you my services and
devotion。 I do not ask any reward。〃 （He was now speaking very
quickly and almost inaudibly。） 〃You may accept my love without
returning it。 I do not wantseek to make a bargain。 If you need
a friend you may be able to rely on me more confidently because
you know I love you。〃
〃Oh； you think so；〃 said Gertrude； interrupting him； 〃but you
will get over it。 I am not the sort of person that men fall in
love with。 You will soon change your mind。〃
〃Not the sort！ Oh； how little you know！〃 he said； becoming
eloquent。 〃I have had plenty of time to change； but I am as fixed
as ever。 If you doubt； wait and try me。 But do not be rough with
me。 You pain me more than you can imagine when you are hasty or
indifferent。 I am in earnest。〃
〃Ha； ha！ That is easily said。〃
〃Not by me。 I change in my judgment of other people according to
my humor； but I believe steadfastly in your goodness and
beautyas if you were an angel。 I am in earnest in my love for
you as I am in earnest for my own