manifestly avoiding Sylvia。 Only then he realized that she must
have taken alarm from the look of strain on his face； been afraid
that he would send her away； only then perceived that； with her
appeal to his protection； she had been binding him closer； making
it harder for him to break away and hurt her。 And the fevered
aching began againworse than everthe moment he lost sight of
her。 And more than ever he felt in the grip of something beyond
his power to fight against； something that； however he swerved； and
backed； and broke away； would close in on him； find means to bind
him again hand and foot。
In the afternoon Dromore's confidential man brought him a note。
The fellow； with his cast…down eyes； and his well…parted hair；
seemed to Lennan to be saying： 〃Yes； sirit is quite natural that
you should take the note out of eyeshot； sirBUT I KNOW；
fortunately； there is no necessity for alarmI am strictly
confidential。〃
And this was what the note contained：
〃You promised to ride with me onceyou DID promise； and you never
have。 Do please ride with me to…morrow； then you will get what you
want for the statuette instead of being so cross with it。 You can
have Dad's horsehe has gone to Newmarket again； and I'm so
lonely。 Pleaseto…morrow； at half…past twostarting from here。
NELL。〃
To hesitate in view of those confidential eyes was not possible； it
must be 'Yes' or 'No'； and if 'No；' it would only mean that she
would come in the morning instead。 So he said：
〃Just say 'All right！'〃
〃Very good； sir。〃 Then from the door： 〃Mr。 Dromore will be away
till Saturday； sir。〃
Now； why had the fellow said that？ Curious how this desperate
secret feeling of his own made him see sinister meaning in this
servant； in Oliver's visit of last nightin everything。 It was
vilethis suspiciousness！ He could feel； almost see； himself
deteriorating already； with this furtive feeling in his soul。 It
would soon be written on his face！ But what was the use of
troubling？ What would come； wouldone way or the other。
And suddenly he remembered with a shock that it was the first of
NovemberSylvia's birthday！ He had never before forgotten it。 In
the disturbance of that discovery he was very near to going and
pouring out to her the whole story of his feelings。 A charming
birthday present； that would make！ Taking his hat； instead； he
dashed round to the nearest flower shop。 A Frenchwoman kept it。
What had she？
What did Monsieur desire？ 〃Des oeillets rouges？ J'en ai de bien
beaux ce soir。〃
Nonot those。 White flowers！
〃Une belle azalee？〃
Yes； that would doto be sent at onceat once！
Next door was a jeweller's。 He had never really known if Sylvia
cared for jewels； since one day he happened to remark that they
were vulgar。 And feeling that he had fallen low indeed； to be
trying to atone with some miserable gewgaw for never having thought
of her all day； because he had been thinking of another； he went in
and bought the only ornament whose ingredients did not make his
gorge rise； two small pear…shaped black pearls； one at each end of
a fine platinum chain。 Coming out with it； he noticed over the
street； in a clear sky fast deepening to indigo； the thinnest slip
of a new moon； like a bright swallow； with wings bent back； flying
towards the ground。 That meantfine weather！ If it could only be
fine weather in his heart！ And in order that the azalea might
arrive first； he walked up and down the Square which he and Oliver
had patrolled the night before。
When he went in； Sylvia was just placing the white azalea in the
window of the drawing…room； and stealing up behind her he clasped
the little necklet round her throat。 She turned round and clung to
him。 He could feel that she was greatly moved。 And remorse
stirred and stirred in him that he was betraying her with his kiss。
But； even while he kissed her； he was hardening his heart。
XI
Next day； still following the lead of her words about fresh air and
his tired look； he told her that he was going to ride； and did not
say with whom。 After applauding his resolution； she was silent for
a littlethen asked：
〃Why don't you ride with Nell？〃
He had already so lost his dignity； that he hardly felt disgraced
in answering：
〃It might bore her！〃
〃Oh； no； it wouldn't bore her。〃
Had she meant anything by that？ And feeling as if he were fencing
with his own soul； he said：
〃Very well； I will。〃
He had perceived suddenly that he did not know his wife； having
always till now believed that it was she who did not quite know
him。
If she had not been out at lunch…time； he would have lunched out
himselfafraid of his own face。 For feverishness in sick persons
mounts steadily with the approach of a certain hour。 And surely
his face； to anyone who could have seen him being conveyed to
Piccadilly； would have suggested a fevered invalid rather than a
healthy； middle…aged sculptor in a cab。
The horses were before the doorthe little magpie horse； and a
thoroughbred bay mare； weeded from Dromore's racing stable。 Nell；
too； was standing ready； her cheeks very pink； and her eyes very
bright。 She did not wait for him to mount her； but took the aid of
the confidential man。 What was it that made her look so perfect on
that little horseshape of limb； or something soft and fiery in
her spirit that the little creature knew of？
They started in silence； but as soon as the sound of hoofs died on
the tan of Rotten Row； she turned to him。
〃It was lovely of you to come！ I thought you'd be afraidyou ARE
afraid of me。〃
And Lennan thought： You're right！
〃But please don't look like yesterday。 To…day's too heavenly。 Oh！
I love beautiful days； and I love riding； and〃 She broke off and
looked at him。 'Why can't you just be nice to me'she seemed to
be saying'and love me as you ought！' That was her powerthe
conviction that he did； and ought to love her； that she ought to
and did love him。 How simple！
But riding； too； is a simple passion； and simple passions distract
each other。 It was a treat to be on that bay mare。 Who so to be
trusted to ride the best as Johnny Dromore？
At the far end of the Row she cried out： 〃Let's go on to Richmond
now；〃 and trotted off into the road； as if she knew she could do
with him what she wished。 And； following meekly； he asked himself：
Why？ What was there in her to make up to him for all that he was
losinghis power of work； his dignity； his self…respect？ What was
there？ Just those eyes； and lips； and hair？
And as if she knew what he was thinking； she looked round and
smiled。
So they jogged on over the Bridge and across Barnes Common into
Richmond Park。
But the moment they touched turf； with one look back at him； she
was off。 Had she all the time meant to give him this breakneck
chaseor had the loveliness of that Autumn day gone to her head
blue sky and coppery flames of bracken in the sun； and the beech
leaves and the oak leaves； pure Highland colouring come South for
once。
When in the first burst he had tested the mare's wind； this chase
of her； indeed； was sheer delight。 Through glades； over fallen
tree…trunks； in bracken up to the hocks； out across the open； past
a herd of amazed and solemn deer； over rotten ground all rabbit…
burrows； till just as he thought he was up to her； she slipped away
by a quick turn round trees。 Mischief incarnate； but something
deeper than mischief； too！ He came up with her at last； and leaned
over to seize her rein。 With a cut of her whip that missed his
hand by a bare inch； and a wrench； she made him shoot past； wheeled
in her tracks； and was off again like an arrow； back amongst the
treeslying right forward under the boughs； along the neck of her
little horse。 Then out from amongst the trees she shot downhill。
Right down she went； full tilt； and after her went Lennan； lying
back； and expecting the bay mare to come down at every stride。
This was her idea of fun！ She switched round at the bottom and
went galloping along the foot of the hill； and he thought： Now I've
got her！ She could not break back up that hill； and there was no
other cover for fully half a mile。
Then he saw； not thirty yards in front； an old sandpit； and Great
God！ she was going straight at it！ And shouting frantically； he
reined his mare outwards。 But she only raised her whip； cut the
magpie horse over the flank； and rode right on。 He saw that little
demon gather its feet and springdown； down； saw him pitch；
struggle； sinkand she； flung forward； roll over and lie on her
back。 He felt nothing at the moment； only had that fixed vision of
a yellow patch of sand； the blue sky； a rook flying； and her face
upturned。 But when he came on her she was on her feet； holding the
bridle of her dazed horse。 No sooner did he touch her； than she
sank down。 Her eyes were closed； but he could feel that she had
not fainted； and he just held her； and kept pressing his lips to
her eyes and forehead。 Suddenly she let her head fall back； and
her lips met his。 Then opening her eyes； she said： 〃I'm not hurt；
onlyfunny。 Has Magpie cut his knees？〃
Not quite knowing what he did； he got up to look。 The little horse
was cropping at some grass； unharmedthe sand and fern had saved
his knees。 And the languid voice behind him said： 〃It's all right
you can leave the horses。 They'll come when I call。〃
Now that he knew she was unhurt； he felt angry。 Why had she
behaved in this mad waygiven him this fearful shock？ But in that
same languid voice she went on： 〃Don't be cross with me。 I thought
at first I'd pull up； but then I thought： 'If I jump he can't help
being nice'so I did Don't leave off loving me because I'm not
hurt； please。〃
Terribly moved； he sat down beside her； took her hands in his； and
said：
〃Nell！ Nell！ it's all wrongit's madness！〃
〃Why？ Don't think about it！ I don't want you to thinkonly to
love me。〃
〃My child； you don't know what love is！〃
For answer she only flung her arms round his neck； then； since he
held back from kissing her； let them fall again； and jumped up。
〃Very well。 But I love you。 You can think of THATyou can't
prevent me！〃 And without