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〃So you think；〃 Henry frowned。 〃I can't think what you want to be married for at all。 These days women can have such a good time； especially a woman with character like you。 If I were a woman I'd never marry。〃
〃You don't understand；〃 said Maggie。 〃You haven't been lonely all your life as I have； and you're not afraid of making yourself cheap andandlooking for some one who doesn't wantyou。 It's so easy for you to talk。 And Paul wants mereally he does〃
〃Yes； he does；〃 said Henry slowly。 〃He's in love with you all right。 I'm as sorry for Paul as I am for you。〃
Maggie laughed。 〃It's very kind of you to be sorry；〃 she said； 〃but you needn't trouble。 I believe we can look after ourselves。〃
For a quarter of an hour after this conversation she was a little uneasy。 He was a clever boy； Henry； he did watch people。 But then he was very young； It was all guesswork with him。
She became now strangely quiescent； her energy； her individuality； her strength of will seemed； for the time； entirely to have gone。 She surrendered herself to Grace and Paul and Katherine and they did what they would with her。
Only once was she disturbed。 Two nights before the wedding she dreamt of Martin。 It did not appear as a dream at all。 It seemed to her that she had been asleep and that she suddenly woke。 She was gazing； from her bed； into her own room； but at the farther end of it instead of the wall with the rosy trees and the gold mirror was another room。 This room was strange and cheerless with bare boards； a large four…poster bed with faded blue hangings； two old black prints with eighteenth…century figures and a big standing mirror。 In front of the bed； staring into the mirror； was Martin； He was dressed shabbily in a blue reefer coat。 He looked older than when she had seen him last； was stouter and ill； with white puffy cheeks and dark shadows under his eyes。 She saw him very clearly under the light of two candles that wavered a little in the draught。
He was staring into the mirror； absorbed apparently in what he saw there。 She cried his name and he seemed to start and turn towards the door listening。 Then the picture faded。 She woke to find herself sitting up in bed crying his name 。 。 。
In the morning she drove this dream away from her； refusing to think of it or listen to it； but somewhere far down in her soul something trembled。
The wedding was over so quickly that she scarcely realised it。 There was the stuffy little church； very empty and dusty； with brass plates on the wall。 She could hear； in the street； rumblings of carts and the rattle of wheels； somewhere a barrel…organ played。 The clergyman was a little man who smiled upon her kindly。 When Paul put the ring on her finger she started as though for a moment she awoke from a dream。 She was glad that he looked so clean and tidy。 Grace was wearing too grand a hat with black feathers。 In the vestry Paul kissed her； and then they walked down the aisle together。 She saw Katherine and Millie and Henry。 Her fingers caught tightly about Paul's stout arm； but she would have been more at home she thought with Uncle Mathew just then。
It was a nice bright spring day； although the wind blew the dust about。 They had a meal in Katherine's house and some one made a speech； and Maggie drank some champagne。 She hoped she looked nice in her grey silk dress； and then caught sight of herself in a glass and thought she was as ever a fright。
〃My little wild thingmine now；〃 whispered Paul。 She thought that rather silly； she was not a wild thing； but simply Maggie Cardinal。 Oh； no！ Maggie Trenchard 。 。 。 She did not feel Maggie Trenchard at all and she did not suppose that she ever would。
They were to have a fortnight alone at Skeaton before Grace came。 Maggie was glad of that。 Paul was really nicer when Grace was not there。
They were all very kind to her。 They had given her good presents Millie some silver brushes； Henry some books； Philip a fan； and Katherine a most beautiful dressing…bag。 Maggie had never had such things before。 But she could have wished for something from her own people。 She had written to Uncle Mathew but had not heard from him。
At the very last moment； on the morning of the wedding day； a present came from the auntsan old box for handkerchiefs。 The cover was inlaid with sea…shells and there was a little looking…glass inside。
Very soon it was all over and then to her own intense surprise she was alone in the train with Paul。 What had she expected？ She did not knowbut somehow not this。
They were in a first…class carriage。 Paul was doing the thing nobly。 He sat close to her； his broad knee against her dress。 How broad his knee was； a great expanse of black shining cloth。 He took her hand and rested it on the expanse； and； at the touch of the stuff and the throb of the warm flesh beneath it； she shivered a little and would wish to have drawn her hand away。 He seemed so much larger than she had expected； from his knee to his high shining white collar was an immense distance and midway there was a thick gold watch…chain rising and falling as he breathed。 He smelt very faintly of tooth… powder。
But on the whole she was comfortable； only the thin gold ring round her finger felt strange。 Deep in a little pocket inside her blouse was the ring with the three little pearls。
〃I do hope； Maggie darling；〃 he said； 〃you don't think it strange our not going somewhere else for our honeymoon。 My lads will be expecting me backI was kept longer in London than I should have beenby you； you little witch。 My witch now〃
He put his arm round her waist and urged her head towards his coat。 But her hat； her beautiful hat that had cost so much more than she had ever spent on a hat before； was in the way。 It struck into his chin。 They were both uncomfortable and then； thank heaven； the train slowed down； they were at a station and some one got into their carriage； a stout man； all newspaper and creases to his trousers。 That； in the circumstances； was a great relief and soon Maggie dozed； seeing the telegraph wires and the trees like waving hands through a mist of sleep。
As she fell asleep she realised that this was only the second time in all her life that she had been in a train。 Some one bawled in her car 〃Skeaton！ Skeaton！〃 and she looked up to find a goat…faced porter gazing at her through the window。 She was on a storm…driven platform； her husband's arm was through hers； she was being helped into an old faded cab。 Now they were driving down a hill； under a railway…arch； along a road with villas and trees； trees and villas； and then villas alone。 What a wind！ The bare branches were in a frenzy； and from almost every villa blew little pennons of white curtains。 〃They like to have their windows open any way；〃 she thought。 Paul said very little； he was obviously nervous of how she would take it all。 She took it all very well。
〃What pretty houses！〃 she said。 〃And here are the shops！〃
Only a fewa sweet…shop； a grocer's； a stationer's with 〃Simpson's Library〃 on the door； a post…office。
〃The suburbs；〃 said Paul。
What a wind！ It rolled up the road like a leaping carpet； you could almost see its folds and creases。 No one aboutnot a living soul。
〃The cab I order