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e minute to another。 His temper is most uncertain； and one never can tell of what he's thinking。 You know he took the Collects in the wrong order last Sunday； and last night he read the wrong lesson。 Two days ago he was quite angry with me because I suggested another tune for 'Lead Kindly Light'…unlike himself； unlike himself。〃
〃To what do you attribute this； Mr。 Flaunders？〃 said Miss Purves。 〃You know our vicar so well。〃
〃I'm sure I can't tell what it is；〃 said Mr。 Flaunders； sighing。
〃Can it be his marriage？〃 said Miss Purves。
〃I'm sure；〃 said Mr。 Flaunders； flushing； 〃that it can be nothing to do with Mrs。 Trenchard。 That's a fine woman； Miss Purves； a fine woman。〃
〃She seems a little strange；〃 said Miss Purves。 〃Why doesn't she let her hair grow？ It's hardly Christian as it is。〃
〃It's her health； I expect；〃 said Mr。 Flaunders。
Paul was very gentle and good to Maggie all that summer； better to her than any human being had ever been before。 She became very fond of him； and yet it was not； apparently； her affection that he wanted。 He seemed to be for ever on the verge of asking her some question and then checking himself。 He was suddenly silent； she caught him looking at her in odd； furtive ways。
He made love to her and then suddenly checked himself； going off； leaving her alone。 During these months she did everything she could for him。 She knew that she was not satisfying him； because she could give him only affection and not love。 But everything that he wanted her to do she did。 And they never； through all those summer months； had one direct honest conversation。 They were afraid。
She began to see； very clearly； his faults。 His whole nature was easy； genial； and； above all； lazy。 He liked to be liked； and she Was often astonished at the pleasure with which he received compliments。 He had a conceit of himself； not as a man but as a clergyman； and she knew that nothing pleased him so much as when people praised his 〃good…natured humanity。〃
She saw him 〃play…acting；〃 as she called it； that is； bringing forward a succession of little tricks； a jolly laugh； an enthusiastic opinion； a pretence of humility； a man…of…the…world air； all things not very bad in themselves； but put on many years ago； subconsciously as an actor puts on powder and paint。 She saw that he was especially sensitive to lay opinion； liked to be thought a good fellow by the laymen in the place。 To be popular she was afraid that he sometimes sacrificed his dignity； his sincerity and his pride。 But he was really saved in this by his laziness。 He was in fact too lazy to act energetically in his pursuit of popularity； and the temptation to sink into the dirty old chair in his study； smoke a pipe and go to sleep； hindered again and again his ambition。 He had； as so many clergymen have； a great deal of the child in him； a remoteness from actual life； and a tremendous ignorance of the rough…and…tumble brutality and indecency of things。 It had not been difficult for Grace； because of his laziness； his childishness； and his harmless conceited good…nature to obtain a very real dominion over him； and until now that dominion had never seriously been threatened。
Now； however； new impulses were stirring in his soul。 Maggie saw it； Grace saw it； before the end of the summer the whole parish saw it。 He was uneasy； dissatisfied； suffering under strange moods whose motives he concealed from all the world。 In his sleep he cried Maggie's name with a passion that was a new voice in him。 When she awoke and heard it she trembled； and then lay very still 。 。 。
And what a summer that was！ To Maggie who had never； even in London； mingled with crowds it was an incredible invasion。 The invasion was incredible； in the first place； because of the suddenness with which it fell upon Skeaton。 One day Maggie noticed that announcements were pasted on to the Skeaton walls of the coming of a pierrot troupe 。 。 。 〃The Mig…Mags。〃 There was a gay picture of fine beautiful pierrettes and fine stout pierrots all smiling together in a semi…circle。 Then on another hoarding it was announced that the Theatre Royal； Skeaton； would shortly start its summer season； and would begin with that famous musical comedy； 〃The Girl from Bobo's。〃
Then the Pier Theatre put forward its claim with a West End comedy。 The Royal Marine Band announced that it would play （weather permitting） in the Pergola on the Leas every afternoon； 4。20…6。 Other signs of new life were the Skeaton Roller…Skating Rink； The Piccadilly Cinema； Concerts in the Town Hall； and Popular Lectures in the Skeaton Institute。 There was also a word here and there about Wanton's Bathing Machines； Button's Donkeys； and Milton and Rowe's Char…a…bancs。
Then； on a sunny day in June the invasion began。 The little railway by the sea was only a loop…line that connected Skeaton with Lane…on… Sea； Frambell； and Hooton。 The main London line had its Skeaton station a little way out of the town； and the station road to the beach passed the vicarage。 Maggie soon learnt to know the times when the excursion trains would pour their victims on to the hot； dry road。 Early in the afternoon was one time； and she would see them eagerly； excitedly hurrying to the sea； fathers and mothers and babies； lovers and noisy young men and shrieking girls。 Then in the evening she would see them return； some cross； some too tired to speak； some happy and singing； some arguing and disputing； babies crying…all hurrying； hurrying lest the train should be missed。 At first she would not penetrate to the beach。 She understood from Paul and Grace that one did not go to the beach during the summer months； at any rate； not the popular beach。 There was Merton Sand two miles away。 One might go there 。 。 。 it was always deserted。 This mysterious 〃one〃 fascinated Maggie's imagination。 So many times a day Grace said 〃Oh； I don't think one ought to。〃 Maggie heard again and again about the trippers； 〃Oh； one must keep away from there； you know。〃
In fact the Skeaton aristocracy retired with shuddering gestures into its own castle。 Life became horribly dull。 The Maxses； the Constantines； and the remainder of the Upper Ten either went away or hid themselves in their grounds。
Once or twice there would be a tennis party； then silence 。 。 。
This summer was a very hot one； the little garden was stifling and the glass bottles cracked in the sun。
〃I want to get out。 I want to get out；〃 cried Maggie…so she went down to the sea。 She went surreptitiously； this was the first surreptitious thing she had done。 She gazed from the Promenade that began just beyond the little station and ran the length of the town down upon the sands。 The beach was a small one compared with the great stretches of Merton and Buquay； and the space was covered now so thickly with human beings that the sand was scarcely visible。 It was a bright afternoon； hot but tempered with a little breeze。 The crowd bathed； paddled； screamed； made sand…castles； lay sleeping； flirting； eating out of paper bags； reading； quarrelling。 Here were two niggers with banjoes； then a stout lady with a harmonium； then a gentleman drawing pictures on the sand； here again a man with sweets on a tray； here； just below Mag