my hand。 There was no reason in it； I'm willing to confess。 It was foolish； but wait till you get feeling like what I was； and see how it draws you。 Misters the jury； don't send me back to prison； it is worse still there。 If you have wives you will know what it is like for lots of us； only some is more nervous than others。 I swear to you； sirs； I could not help it…？' Again the little man flung out his hand； his whole thin body shook and Mr。 Bosengate felt the same sensation as when he drove his car over a dog〃Misters the jury； I hope you may never in your lives feel as I've been feeling。〃
The little man ceased； his eyes shrank back into their sockets； his figure back into its mask of shadowy brown and gleaming buttons； and Mr。 Bosengate was conscious that the judge was making a series of remarks； and； very soon； of being seated at a mahogany table in the jury's withdrawing room； hearing the； voice of the man with hair like an Irish terrier's saying： 〃Didn't he talk through his hat； that little blighter！〃 Conscious； too； of the commercial traveller； still on his leftalways on his left！mopping his brow； and muttering： 〃Phew！ It's hot in there to…day！〃 while an effluvium； as of an inside accustomed to whisky came from him。 Then the man with the underlip and the three plastered wisps of hair said：
〃Don't know why we withdrew； Mr。 Foreman！〃
Mr。 Bosengate looked round to where； at the head of the table； Gentleman Fox sat； in defensive gentility and the little white piping to his waistcoat saying blandly：
〃I shall be happy to take the sense of the jury。〃
There was a short silence； then the chemist murmured：
〃I should say he must have what they call claustrophobia。〃
〃Clauster fiddlesticks！ The feller's a shirker； that's all。 Missed his wifepretty excuse！ Indecent； I call it！〃
The speaker was the little wire…haired man； and emotion； deep and angry； stirred in Mr。 Bosengate。 That ill…bred little cur！ He gripped the edge of the table with both hands。
〃I think it's d…d natural！〃 he muttered。 But almost before the words had left his lips he felt dismay。 What had he saidhe； nearly a colonel of volunteersendorsing such a want of patriotism！ And hearing the commercial traveller murmuring： 〃'Ear； 'ear！〃 he reddened violently。
The wire…headed man said roughly：
〃There's too many of these blighted shirkers； and too much pampering of them。〃
The turmoil in Mr。 Bosengate increased； he remarked in an icy voice：
〃I agree to no verdict that'll send the man back to prison。〃
At this a real tremor seemed to go round the table； as if they all saw themselves sitting there through lunch time。 Then the large grey…haired man given to winking； said：
〃Oh！ Come； sirafter what the judge said！ Come； sir！ What do you say； Mr。 Foreman？〃
Gentleman Foxas who should say 'This is excellent value； but I don't wish to press it on you！'answered：
〃We are only concerned with the facts。 Did he or did he not try to shorten his life？〃
〃Of course he didsaid so himself；〃 Mr。 Bosengate heard the wire… haired man snap out； and from the following murmur of assent he alone abstained。 Guilty！ Wellyes！ There was no way out of admitting that； but his feelings revolted against handing 〃that poor little beggar〃 over to the tender mercy of his country's law。 His whole soul rose in arms against agreeing with that ill…bred little cur； and the rest of this job…lot。 He had an impulse to get up and walk out； saying： 〃Settle it your own way。 Good morning。〃
〃It seems； sir；〃 Gentleman Fox was saying； 〃that we're all agreed to guilty； except yourself。 If you will allow me； I don't see how you can go behind what the prisoner himself admitted。〃
Thus brought up to the very guns； Mr。 Bosengate； red in the face； thrust his hands deep into the side pockets of his tunic； and； staring straight before him； said：
〃Very well； on condition we recommend him to mercy。〃
〃What do you say； gentlemen； shall we recommend him to mercy？〃
〃'Ear； 'ear！〃 burst from the commercial traveller； and from the chemist came the murmur：
〃No harm in that。〃
〃Well； I think there is。 They shoot deserters at the front； and we let this fellow off。 I'd hang the cur。〃
Mr。 Bosengate stared at that little wire…haired brute。 〃Haven't you any feeling for others？〃 he wanted to say。 〃Can't you see that this poor devil suffers tortures？〃 But the sheer impossibility of doing this before ten other men brought a slight sweat out on his face and hands； and in agitation he smote the table a blow with his fist。 The effect was instantaneous。 Everybody looked at the wire…haired man； as if saying： 〃Yes； you've gone a bit too far there！〃 The 〃little brute〃 stood it for a moment； then muttered surlily：
〃Well； commend 'im to mercy if you like； I don't care。〃
〃That's right； they never pay any attention to it；〃 said the grey… haired man； winking heartily。 And Mr。 Bosengate filed back with the others into court。
But when from the jury box his eyes fell once more on the hare…eyed figure in the dock； he had his worst moment yet。 Why should this poor wretch suffer sofor no fault； no fault； while he； and these others； and that snapping counsel； and the Caesar…like judge up there； went off to their women and their homes； blithe as bees； and probably never thought of him again？ And suddenly he was conscious of the judge's voice：
〃You will go back to your regiment； and endeavour to serve your country with better spirit。 You may thank the jury that you are not sent to prison； and your good fortune that you were not at the front when you tried to commit this cowardly act。 You are lucky to be alive。〃
A policeman pulled the little soldier by the arm； his drab figure with eyes fixed and lustreless； passed down and away。 From his very soul Mr。 Bosengate wanted to lean out and say： 〃Cheer up； cheer up！ I understand。〃
It was nearly ten o'clock that evening before he reached home； motoring back from the route march。 His physical tiredness was abated； for he had partaken of a snack and a whisky and soda at the hotel； but mentally he was in a curious mood。 His body felt appeased； his spirit hungry。 Tonight he had a yearning； not for his wife's kisses； but for her understanding。 He wanted to go to her and say： 〃I've learnt a lot to…day…found out things I never thought of。 Life's a wonderful thing； Kate； a thing one can't live all to oneself； a thing one shares with everybody； so that when another suffers； one suffers too。 It's come to me that what one has doesn't matter a bitit's what one does； and how one sympathises with other people。 It came to me in the most extraordinary vivid way； when I was on that jury； watching that poor little rat of a soldier in his trap； it's the first time I've ever feltthethe spirit of Christ； you know。 It's a wonderful thing； Katewonderful！ We haven't been closereally close； you and I； so that we each understand what the other is feeling。 It's all in that； you know； understanding sympathyit's priceless。 When I saw that poor little devil taken down and sent back to his regiment to begin his sorrows all over againwanting his wife； thinking and thinking of her just as you know I would be thinking and wanting you； I felt what an awful outside sort of life we lead； never telling each other what we really think and feel； never being really close。 I daresay that little chap and his wife keep nothing from each otherlive each other's lives。 That's what we ought to do。 Let's get to feeling that what really matters isunderstanding and loving； and not only just saying it as we all do； those fellows on the jury； and even that poor devil of a judgewhat an awful life judging one's fellow…creatures
When I left that poor little Tommy this morning； and ever since； I've longed to get back here quietly to you and tell you about it； and make a beginning。 There's something wonderful in this； and I want you to feel it as I do； because you mean such a lot to me。〃
This was what he wanted to say to his wife； not touching； or kissing her； just looking into her eyes； watching them soften and glow as they surely must； catching the infection of his new ardour。 And he felt unsteady； fearfully unsteady with the desire to say it all as it should be said： swiftly； quietly； with the truth and fervour of his feeling。
The hall was not lit up； for daylight still lingered under the new arrangement。 He went towards the drawing…room； but from the very door shied off to his study and stood irresolute under the picture of a 〃Man catching a flea〃 （Dutch school）； which had come down to him from his father。 The governess would be in there with his wife！ He must wait。 Essential to go straight to Kathleen and pour it all out； or he would never do it。 He felt as nervous as an undergraduate going up for his viva' voce。 This thing was so big； so astoundingly and unexpectedly important。 He was suddenly afraid of his wife； afraid of her coolness and her grace； and that something Japanese about herof all those attributes he had been accustomed to admire most； afraid； as it were； of her attraction。 He felt young to…night； almost boyish； would she see that he was not really fifteen years older than herself； and she not really a part of his collection； of all the admirable appointments of his home； but a companion spirit to one who wanted a companion badly。 In this agitation of his soul he could keep still no more than he could last night in the agitation of his senses； and he wandered into the dining…room。 A dainty supper was set out there； sandwiches； and cake； whisky and the cigarettes… even an early peach。 Mr。 Bosengate looked at this peach with sorrow rather than disgust。 The perfection of it was of a piece with all that had gone before this new and sudden feeling。 Its delicious bloom seemed to heighten his perception of the hedge around him； that hedge of the things he so enjoyed； carefully planted and tended these many years。 He passed it by uneaten； and went to the window。 Out there all was darkening； the fountain； the lime tree； the flower… beds； and the fields below； with the Jersey cows who would come to your call； darkening slowly； losing form； blurring into soft blackness； vanishing； but there none the lessall therethe hedge of his