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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 the park； of course。〃
They were some time selecting the tree； many being too easy for
him； and many too hard for her； but one was found at last； an oak
of great age； and frequented by rooks。 Then； insisting that she
must be roped to him； he departed to the house for some blind…cord。
The climb began at four o'clocknamed by him the ascent of the
Cimone della Pala。 He led the momentous expedition； taking a hitch
of the blind…cord round a branch before he permitted her to move。
Two or three times he was obliged to make the cord fast and return
to help her； for she was not an 'expert'； her arms seemed soft； and
she was inclined to straddle instead of trusting to one foot。 But
at last they were settled； streaked indeed with moss； on the top
branch but two。 They rested there； silent； listening to the rooks
soothing an outraged dignity。 Save for this slowly subsiding
demonstration it was marvellously peaceful and remote up there；
half…way