第54章

”Iftheproprietorhadeyes，”hesaid，”hewouldshowyouthedoor；youhavebrokenthroughhisdecorations。”Thuslightlyhesmotheredupanemotionalmoment。Havingeatencoldbeef，pickledwalnut，gooseberrytart，anddrunkstone-bottleginger-beer，theywalkedintothePark，andlighttalkwassucceededbythesilenceJolyonhaddreaded。”Youhaven’ttoldmeaboutParis，”hesaidatlast。”No。I’vebeenshadowedforalongtime；onegetsusedtothat。

ButthenSoamescame。BythelittleNiobe——thesamestory；wouldI

gobacktohim?””Incredible！”

Shehadspokenwithoutraisinghereyes，butshelookedupnow。

Thosedarkeyesclingingtohissaidasnowordscouldhave：’I

havecometoanend；ifyouwantme，hereIam。’

Forsheeremotionalintensityhadheever——oldashewas——passedthroughsuchamoment?

Thewords：’Irene，Iadoreyou！’almostescapedhim。Then，withaclearnessofwhichhewouldnothavebelievedmentalvisioncapable，hesawJollylyingwithawhitefaceturnedtoawhitewall。”Myboyisveryilloutthere，”hesaidquietly。

Ireneslippedherarmthroughhis。”Let’swalkon；Iunderstand。”

Nomiserableexplanationtoattempt！Shehadunderstood！Andtheywalkedonamongthebracken，knee-highalready，betweentherabbitholesandtheoak-trees，talkingofJolly。HelefthertwohourslaterattheRichmondHillGate，andturnedtowardshome。

’Sheknowsofmyfeelingforher，then，’hethought。Ofcourse！

Onecouldnotkeepknowledgeofthatfromsuchawoman！

CHAPTERIV

OVERTHERIVER

Jollywastiredtodeathofdreams。Theyhadlefthimnowtoowanandweaktodreamagain；lefthimtolietorpid，faintlyrememberingfar-offthings；justabletoturnhiseyesandgazethroughthewindownearhiscotatthetrickleofriverrunningbyinthesands，atthestragglingmilk-bushoftheKaroobeyond。HeknewwhattheKaroowasnow，evenifhehadnotseenaBoerrolloverlikearabbit，orheardthewhineofflyingbullets。Thispestilencehadsneakedonhimbeforehehadsmelledpowder。A

thirstydayandarashdrink，orperhapsataintedfruit——whoknew?

Nothe，whohadnotevenstrengthlefttogrudgetheevilthingitsvictory——justenoughtoknowthatthereweremanylyingherewithhim，thathewassorewithfrenzieddreaming；justenoughtowatchthatthreadofriverandbeabletorememberfaintlythosefar-awaythings……

Thesunwasnearlydown。Itwouldbecoolersoon。Hewouldhavelikedtoknowthetime——tofeelhisoldwatch，sobutter-smooth，toheartherepeaterstrike。Itwouldhavebeenfriendly，home-like。

Hehadnotevenstrengthtorememberthattheoldwatchwaslastwoundthedayhebegantoliehere。Thepulseofhisbrainbeatsofeeblythatfaceswhichcameandwent，nurse’s，doctor’s，orderly’s，wereindistinguishable，justoneindifferentface；andthewordsspokenabouthimmeantallthesamething，andthatalmostnothing。Thosethingsheusedtodo，thoughfarandfaint，weremoredistinct——walkingpastthefootoftheoldstepsatHarrow’bill’——’Here，sir！Here，sir！’——wrappingbootsintheWestminsterGazette，greenishpaper，shiningboots——grandfathercomingfromsomewheredark——asmellofe

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