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of soundings。 〃I have never been further than
eighty fathoms from the land；〃 was one of his
boasts。
Bessie Carvil heard all these things。 In front of
their cottage grew an under…sized ash； and on sum…
mer afternoons she would bring out a chair on the
grass…plot and sit down with her sewing。 Captain
Hagberd； in his canvas suit； leaned on a spade。 He
dug every day in his front plot。 He turned it over
and over several times every year； but was not go…
ing to plant anything 〃just at present。〃
To Bessie Carvil he would state more explicitly：
〃Not till our Harry comes home to…morrow。〃 And
she had heard this formula of hope so often that it
only awakened the vaguest pity in her heart for
that hopeful old man。
Everything was put off in that way； and every…
thing was being prepared likewise for to…morrow。
There was a boxful of packets of various flower…
seeds to choose from； for the front garden。 〃He
will doubtless let you have your say about that； my
dear；〃 Captain Hagberd intimated to her across
the railing。
Miss Bessie's head remained bowed over her
work。 She had heard all this so many times。 But
now and then she would rise； lay down her sewing；
and come slowly to the fence。 There was a charm
in these gentle ravings。 He was determined that
his son should not go away again for the want of a
home all ready for him。 He had been filling the
other cottage with all sorts of furniture。 She im…
agined it all new； fresh with varnish； piled up as
in a warehouse。 There would be tables wrapped
up in sacking； rolls of carpets thick and vertical
like fragments of columns； the gleam of white mar…
ble tops in the dimness of the drawn blinds。 Cap…
tain Hagberd always described his purchases to
her； carefully； as to a person having a legitimate
interest in them。 The overgrown yard of his cot…
tage could be laid over with concrete 。 。 。 after
to…morrow。
〃We may just as well do away with the fence。
You could have your drying…line out； quite clear of
your flowers。〃 He winked； and she would blush
faintly。
This madness that had entered her life through
the kind impulses of her heart had reasonable de…
tails。 What if some day his son returned？ But
she could not even be quite sure that he ever had a
son； and if he existed anywhere he had been too
long away。 When Captain Hagberd got excited
in his talk she would steady him by a pretence of
belief； laughing a little to salve her conscience。
Only once she had tried pityingly to throw some
doubt on that hope doomed to disappointment； but
the effect of her attempt had scared her very much。
All at once over that man's face there came an ex…
pression of horror and incredulity； as though he
had seen a crack open out in the firmament。
〃Youyouyou don't think he's drowned！〃
For a moment he seemed to her ready to go out
of his mind； for in his ordinary state she thought
him more sane than people gave him credit for。
On that occasion the violence of the emotion was
followed by a most paternal and complacent re…
covery。
〃Don't alarm yourself； my dear；〃 he said a lit…
tle cunningly： 〃the sea can't keep him。 He does
not belong to it。 None of us Hagberds ever did
belong to it。 Look at me； I didn't get drowned。
Moreover； he isn't a sailor at all； and if he is not a
sailor he's bound to come back。 There's nothing
to prevent him coming back。 。 。 。〃
His eyes began to wander。
〃To…morrow。〃
She never tried again； for fear the man should
go out of his mind on the spot。 He depended on
her。 She seemed the only sensible person in the
town； and he would congratulate himself frankly
before her face on having secured such a level…
headed wife for his son。 The rest of the town； he
confided to her once； in a fit of temper； was certainly
queer。 The way they looked at youthe way they
talked to you！ He had never got on with any one
in the place。 Didn't like the people。 He would
not have left his own country if it had not been
clear that his son had taken a fancy to Colebrook。
She humoured him in silence； listening patiently
by the fence； crocheting with downcast eyes。
Blushes came with difficulty on her dead…white
complexion； under the negligently twisted opu…
lence of mahogany…coloured hair。 Her father was
frankly carroty。
She had a full figure； a tired； unrefreshed face。
When Captain Hagberd vaunted the necessity and
propriety of a home and the delights of one's own
fireside； she smiled a little； with her lips only。 Her
home delights had been confined to the nursing of
her father during the ten best years of her life。
A bestial roaring coming out of an upstairs win…
dow would interrupt their talk。 She would begin
at once to roll up her crochet…work or fold her sew…
ing； without the slightest sign of haste。 Mean…
while the howls and roars of her name would go on；
making the fishermen strolling upon the sea…wall
on the other side of the road turn their heads to…
wards the cottages。 She would go in slowly at the
front door； and a moment afterwards there would
fall a profound silence。 Presently she would re…
appear； leading by the hand a man； gross and un…
wieldy like a hippopotamus； with a bad…tempered；
surly face。
He was a widowed boat…builder； whom blindness
had overtaken years before in the full flush of busi…
ness。 He behaved to his daughter as if she had
been responsible for its incurable character。 He
had been heard to bellow at the top of his voice；
as if to defy Heaven； that he did not care： he had
made enough money to have ham and eggs for his
breakfast every morning。 He thanked God for it；
in a fiendish tone as though he were cursing。
Captain Hagberd had been so unfavourably im…
pressed by his tenant； that once he told Miss Bes…
sie； 〃He is a very extravagant fellow； my dear。〃
She was knitting that day； finishing a pair of
socks for her father； who expected her to keep up
the supply dutifully。 She hated knitting； and； as
she was just at the heel part； she had to keep her
eyes on her needles。
〃Of course it isn't as if he had a son to provide
for；〃 Captain Hagberd went on a little vacantly。
〃Girls； of course； don't require so muchh'm
h'm。 They don't run away from home； my dear。〃
〃No；〃 said Miss Bessie； quietly。