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of the parson and his little bundle of black clothes lying neatly
upon a stone。 Then the fool ran all the way home to his mother who
was a widow； and sat and cried and cried for the beautiful young man
who had been slain； nor would he eat； nor taste the excellent Rafiel
beer； and he pined away； and at last he died； first telling this
history to his mother； who； like all widows； was a garulous woman
and loved a good story。 。 。
Impossible to imagine with what life and fire old Miss Henhouse gave
this history。 You could see with your own eyes the golden ship； the
diamond buckles of the Scarlet Admiral； the young man's sad eyes；
the parson's black clothes。 When she had finished it seemed to
Jeremy that it must have been just so。 She told him that now on a
summer morning or evening the Scarlet Admiral might still be seen；
climbing the cliff…path； wiping his sword upon the grass； gazing out
with sad eyes to sea。 Jeremy swore to himself that on the next
occasion of visiting the Cove he would watch 。 。 。 he would watch…
but to no single human being would he speak anything of this。
This was the second reason why he had looked forward so eagerly to
the sea…picnic。
III
The day arrived； and it was marvellously fineone of those days in
August when heat possesses the world and holds it tranced and still；
but has in the very strength of its possession some scent of the
decay and chill of autumn that is to follow so close upon its heels。
There was no breeze； no wind from the sea； only a sky utterly
without cloud and a world without sound。
Punctually at eleven of the morning the splendid Le Page equipage
arrived at Cow Farm。 Splendid it was！ A large wagonette； with a
stout supercilious fellow on the box who sniffed at the healthy
odours of the farm and stared haughtily at Mrs。 Monk as though she
should be ashamed to be alive。 The Coles had provided a small plump
〃jingle〃 with a small plump pony； their regular conveyance； the pony
was Bob； and he would not go up hills unless persuaded with sugar；
but Jeremy loved him and would not have ridden behind any other
steed in the whole world。 How contemptuously the big black horses of
the wagonette gazed down their nostrils at Bob； and how superbly
Mrs。 Le Page； sitting very upright under her white sunshade； greeted
Mrs。 Cole！
〃Dear Mrs。 Cole。 Such a hot morning； isn't it？ Lovely； of course；
but so hot。〃
〃I'm afraid；〃 Jeremy heard his mother say； 〃that your carriage will
never get down the Rafiel Lane； Mrs。 Le Page。 We hoped you'd come in
the dog…cart。 Plenty of room。 。 。〃
Superb to witness the fashion in which Mrs。 Le Page gazed at the
dog…cart。
〃For all of us？ 。 。 。 Dear Mrs。 Cole； I scarcely thinkAnd
Charlotte's frock 。 。 。〃
Then Jeremy turned his eyes to Charlotte。 She sat under a miniature
sunshade of white silk and lace； a vision of loveliness。 She was a
shimmer of white； a little white cloud that had settled for a moment
upon the seat of the carriage to allow the sun to dance upon it； to
caress it with fingers of fire； so to separate it from the rest of
the world for ever as something too precious to be touched。 Jeremy
had never seen anything so lovely。
He blushed and scraped his boots the one against the other。
〃And this is Jeremy？〃 said Mrs。 Le Page as though she said： 〃And
this is where you keep your little pigs； Mr。 Monk？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Jeremy； blushing。
〃Charlotte； you know Jeremy。 You must be friends。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Charlotte； without moving。 Then Jeremy tumbled into the
stern gaze of Mr。 Le Page who； arrayed as he was in a very smart
suit of the whitest flannels； looked with his black beard and fierce
black eyebrows like a pirate king disguised。
〃How are you ？〃 said Mr。 Le Page in a deep bass voice。
〃Very well； thank you；〃 said Jeremy。
To tell the truth； Mrs。 Cole's heart sadly misgave her when she saw
the Le Page family all sitting up so new and so bright in their new
and bright carriage。 She thought of the simple preparations that had
been madethe pasties； the saffron buns and the ginger beer； she
looked around her at the very plain but useful garments worn by her
family； her husband in faded grey flannel trousers and a cricketing
shirt； Helen and Mary in the simplest blue cotton； and Jeremy in his
two…year…old sailor suit。 She had intended to bring their bathing
things in a bundle； but now she put them aside。 It was obvious that
the Le Pages had no intention of bathing。 She sighed and foresaw a
difficult day ahead of her。
It was evident that the Le Pages did not intend to come one step
farther into Cow Farm than was necessary。
〃Dear Mrs。 Cole； on a hot dayhow can you endure the smells of a
farm 。 。 。 such a charming farm； too； with all its cows and pigs；
but in this weather。 。 。 Charlotte darling； you don't feel the heat？
No？ Hold your sun…shade a little more to the right； love。 That's
right。 She was not quite the thing last night； Mrs。 Cole。 I had some
doubts about bringing her； but I knew you'd all be so disappointed。
She's looking rather lovely to…day； don't you think？ You must
forgive a mother's partiality。 。 。 Oh； you're not bringing that
little dog； are you？ Surely〃
Jeremy； who had from the first hated Mrs。 Le Page； forgot his
shyness and brought out fiercely：
〃Of course he's coming。 Hamlet always goes everywhere with us。〃
〃Hamlet！〃 said Mr。 Le Page in his deep bass voice。
〃What a strange name for a dog！〃 said Mrs。 Le Page in tones of vague
distrust。
At last it was settled that one member of the Cole party should ride
with the Le Pages； and Mary was selected。 Poor Mary！ inevitably
chosen when something unpleasant must be done。 To…day it was
especially hard for her； because she entertained so implacable a
hatred for the lovely Charlotte and looked； it must be confessed； so
plain and shabby by the side of her。 Indeed； to any observer with a
heart it must have been touching to see Mary driven away in that
magnificent black carriage； staring with agonised hostility in front
of her through her large spectacles； compelled to balance herself
exactly between the magnificent sunshade of Mrs。 Le Page and the
smaller but also magnificent sunshade of the lovely Charlotte。 Mrs。
Cole； glancing in that direction； may have felt with a pang that she
would never be able to make her children handsome and gay as she
would like to dobut it was certainly a pang of only a moment's
duration。
She would not have exchanged her Mary for a wagon…load of
Charlottes。
And Jeremy； bumping along in the jingle； also felt the contrast。 Why
could not Mary wear her straw hat straight； and why must she have
elastic under her chin？ Why did she look so cross and so stupid？ Why
did she bother him so with her worries？ Charlotte would never worry
him。 She would just sit there； looking beautiful； with her golden
hair； and blue eyes and pink cheeks。 Next week was to be Miss
Jones's birthday； and in preparation for this he had bought for her
in Polchester a silver thimble。 He wondered whether he would not
give Charlotte this thimble instead of Miss Jones。 He could give
Miss Jones some old thing he would find somewhere； or he would go
out and pick for her