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and with a thought…clouded brow。 He was one of those men who are
quite clever； but quite the reverse of quick。 As he came back
out of the sunset garden into the twilight parlour； Diana Duke
slipped swiftly to her feet and began putting away the tea things。
But it was not before Inglewood had seen an instantaneous picture so unique
that he might well have snapshotted it with his everlasting camera。
For Diana had been sitting in front of her unfinished work with her chin
on her hand； looking straight out of the window in pure thoughtless thought。
〃You are busy；〃 said Arthur； oddly embarrassed with what he had seen；
and wishing to ignore it。
〃There's no time for dreaming in this world；〃 answered the young lady
with her back to him。
〃I have been thinking lately；〃 said Inglewood in a low voice；
〃that there's no time for waking up。〃
She did not reply； and he walked to the window and looked out on the garden。
〃I don't smoke or drink； you know；〃 he said irrelevantly；
〃because I think they're drugs。 And yet I fancy all hobbies；
like my camera and bicycle； are drugs too。 Getting under a
black hood； getting into a dark roomgetting into a hole anyhow。
Drugging myself with speed； and sunshine； and fatigue； and fresh air。
Pedalling the machine so fast that I turn into a machine myself。
That's the matter with all of us。 We're too busy to wake up。〃
〃Well；〃 said the girl solidly； 〃what is there to wake up to？〃
〃There must be！〃 cried Inglewood； turning round in a singular
excitement〃there must be something to wake up to！
All we do is preparationsyour cleanliness； and my healthiness；
and Warner's scientific appliances。 We're always preparing
for somethingsomething that never comes off。 I ventilate
the house； and you sweep the house； but what is going to HAPPEN
in the house？〃
She was looking at him quietly； but with very bright eyes；
and seemed to be searching for some form of words which she
could not find。
Before she could speak the door burst open； and the boisterous Rosamund Hunt；
in her flamboyant white hat； boa； and parasol； stood framed in the doorway。
She was in a breathing heat； and on her open face was an expression of
the most infantile astonishment。
〃Well； here's a fine game！〃 she said； panting。 〃What am I to do now；
I wonder？ I've wired for Dr。 Warner； that's all I can think of doing。〃
〃What is the matter？〃 asked Diana； rather sharply； but moving
forward like one used to be called upon for assistance。
〃It's Mary；〃 said the heiress； 〃my companion Mary Gray：
that cracked friend of yours called Smith has proposed to her
in the garden； after ten hours' acquaintance； and he wants
to go off with her now for a special licence。〃
Arthur Inglewood walked to the open French windows and looked
out on the garden； still golden with evening light。
Nothing moved there but a bird or two hopping and twittering；
but beyond the hedge and railings； in the road outside
the garden gate； a hansom cab was waiting； with the yellow
Gladstone bag on top of it。
Chapter IV
The Garden of the God
Diana Duke seemed inexplicably irritated at the abrupt entrance
and utterance of the other girl。
〃Well；〃 she said shortly； 〃I suppose Miss Gray can decline him if she
doesn't want to marry him。〃
〃But she DOES want to marry him！〃 cried Rosamund in exasperation。
〃She's a wild； wicked fool； and I won't be parted from her。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said Diana icily； 〃but I really don't see what we can do。〃
〃But the man's balmy； Diana；〃 reasoned her friend angrily。
〃I can't let my nice governess marry a man that's balmy！
You or somebody MUST stop it！Mr。 Inglewood； you're a man；
go and tell them they simply can't。〃
〃Unfortunately； it seems to me they simply can；〃 said Inglewood；
with a depressed air。 〃I have far less right of intervention
than Miss Duke； besides having； of course； far less moral
force than she。〃
〃You haven't either of you got much；〃 cried Rosamund；
the last stays of her formidable temper giving way；
〃I think I'll go somewhere else for a little sense and pluck。
I think I know some one who will help me more than you do；
at any rate。。。 he's a cantankerous beast； but he's a man；
and has a mind； and knows it。。。〃 And she flung out into the garden；
with cheeks aflame； and the parasol whirling like a Catherine wheel。
She found Michael Moon standing under the garden tree； looking over
the hedge； hunched like a bird of prey； with his large pipe hanging down
his long blue chin。 The very hardness of his expression pleased her；
after the nonsense of the new engagement and the shilly…shallying
of her other friends。
〃I am sorry I was cross； Mr。 Moon；〃 she said frankly。 〃I hated you
for being a cynic； but I've been well punished； for I want a cynic
just now。 I've had my fill of sentimentI'm fed up with it。
The world's gone mad； Mr。 Moonall except the cynics； I think。
That maniac Smith wants to marry my old friend Mary； and she
and shedoesn't seem to mind。〃
Seeing his attentive face still undisturbedly smoking； she added smartly；
〃I'm not joking； that's Mr。 Smith's cab outside。 He swears he'll
take her off now to his aunt's； and go for a special licence。
Do give me some practical advice； Mr。 Moon。〃
Mr。 Moon took his pipe out of his mouth； held it in his hand
for an instant reflectively； and then tossed it to the other side
of the garden。 〃My practical advice to you is this；〃 he said：
〃Let him go for his special licence； and ask him to get another
one for you and me。〃
〃Is that one of your jokes？〃 asked the young lady。
〃Do say what you really mean。〃
〃I mean that Innocent Smith is a man of business；〃
said Moon with ponderous precision〃a plain； practical man：
a man of affairs； a man of facts and the daylight。
He has let down twenty ton of good building bricks suddenly
on my head； and I am glad to say they have woken me up。
We went to sleep a little while ago on this very lawn； in this
very sunlight。 We have had a little nap for five years or so；
but now we're going to be married； Rosamund； and I can't see
why that cab。。。〃
〃Really；〃 said Rosamund stoutly； 〃I don't know what you mean。〃
〃What a lie！ cried Michael； advancing on her with brightening eyes。
〃I'm all for lies in an ordinary way； but don't you see that to…night
they won't do？ We've wandered into a world of facts； old girl。
That grass growing； and that sun going down； and that cab at the door；
are facts。 You used to torment and excuse yourself by saying I
was after your money； and didn't really love you。 But if I stood
here now and told you I didn't love youyou wouldn't believe me：
for truth is in this garden to…night。〃
〃Really； Mr。 Moon。。。〃 said Rosamund； rather more faintly。
He kept two big blue magnetic eyes fixed on her face。
〃Is my name Moon？〃 he asked。 〃Is your name Hunt？ On my honour；
they sound to me as quaint and as distant as Red Indian names。
It's as if your name was ‘Swim' and my name was ‘Sunrise。' But our
real names are Husband and Wife； as they were when we fell asleep。〃
〃It is no good；〃 said Rosamund； with real tears in her eyes；
〃one can never go back。〃
〃I can go whe