the churches and republics of history； is also true of the most
trivial parlour game or the most unsophisticated meadow romp。
We are never free until some institution frees us； and liberty
cannot exist till it is declared by authority。 Even the wild
authority of the harlequin Smith was still authority； because it
produced everywhere a crop of crazy regulations and conditions。
He filled every one with his own half…lunatic life； but it was not
expressed in destruction； but rather in a dizzy and toppling construction。
Each person with a hobby found it turning into an institution。
Rosamund's songs seemed to coalesce into a kind of opera；
Michael's jests and paragraphs into a magazine。 His pipe and her
mandoline seemed between them to make a sort of smoking concert。
The bashful and bewildered Arthur Inglewood almost struggled against his
own growing importance。 He felt as if； in spite of him； his photographs
were turning into a picture gallery； and his bicycle into a gymkhana。
But no one had any time to criticize these impromptu estates and offices；
for they followed each other in wild succession like the topics
of a rambling talker。
Existence with such a man was an obstacle race made out of
pleasant obstacles。 Out of any homely and trivial object he could
drag reels of exaggeration； like a conjurer。 Nothing could
be more shy and impersonal than poor Arthur's photography。
Yet the preposterous Smith was seen assisting him eagerly through
sunny morning hours； and an indefensible sequence described
as 〃Moral Photography〃 began to unroll about the boarding…house。
It was only a version of the old photographer's joke which
produces the same figure twice on one plate； making a man
play chess with himself； dine with himself； and so on。
But these plates were more hysterical and ambitiousas； 〃Miss Hunt
forgets Herself；〃 showing that lady answering her own too
rapturous recognition with a most appalling stare of ignorance；
or 〃Mr。 Moon questions Himself；〃 in which Mr。 Moon appeared as one
driven to madness under his own legal cross…examination； which was
conducted with a long forefinger and an air of ferocious waggery。
One highly successful trilogyrepresenting Inglewood recognizing
Inglewood； Inglewood prostrating himself before Inglewood；
and Inglewood severely beating Inglewood with a stick
Innocent Smith wanted to have enlarged and put up in the hall；
like a sort of fresco； with the inscription；
〃Self…reverence； self…knowledge； self…control
These three alone will make a man a prig。〃
Tennyson。
Nothing； again； could be more prosaic and impenetrable than
the domestic energies of Miss Diana Duke。 But Innocent had somehow
blundered on the discovery that her thrifty dressmaking went
with a considerable feminine care for dressthe one feminine thing
that had never failed her solitary self…respect。 In consequence Smith
pestered her with a theory （which he really seemed to take seriously）
that ladies might combine economy with magnificence if they would
draw light chalk patterns on a plain dress and then dust them
off again。 He set up 〃Smith's Lightning Dressmaking Company；〃
with two screens； a cardboard placard； and box of bright soft crayons；
and Miss Diana actually threw him an abandoned black overall
or working dress on which to exercise the talents of a modiste。
He promptly produced for her a garment aflame with red and gold sunflowers；
she held it up an instant to her shoulders； and looked like an empress。
And Arthur Inglewood； some hours afterwards cleaning his bicycle
（with his usual air of being inextricably hidden in it）； glanced up；
and his hot face grew hotter； for Diana stood laughing for one
flash in the doorway； and her dark robe was rich with the green
and purple of great decorative peacocks； like a secret garden
in the 〃Arabian Nights。〃 A pang too swift to be named pain
or pleasure went through his heart like an old…world rapier。
He remembered how pretty he thought her years ago； when he was
ready to fall in love with anybody； but it was like remembering
a worship of some Babylonian princess in some previous existence。
At his next glimpse of her （and he caught himself awaiting it）
the purple and green chalk was dusted off； and she went by quickly
in her working clothes。
As for Mrs。 Duke； none who knew that matron could conceive her as
actively resisting this invasion that had turned her house upside down。
But among the most exact observers it was seriously believed that she
liked it。 For she was one of those women who at bottom regard all
men as equally mad； wild animals of some utterly separate species。
And it is doubtful if she really saw anything more eccentric or
inexplicable in Smith's chimney…pot picnics or crimson sunflowers
than she had in the chemicals of Inglewood or the sardonic speeches
of Moon。 Courtesy； on the other hand； is a thing that anybody
can understand； and Smith's manners were as courteous as they
were unconventional。 She said he was 〃a real gentleman；〃 by which she
simply meant a kind…hearted man； which is a very different thing。
She would sit at the head of the table with fat； folded hands and a fat；
folded smile for hours and hours； while every one else was talking at once。
At least； the only other exception was Rosamund's companion；
Mary Gray； whose silence was of a much more eager sort。 Though she
never spoke she always looked as if she might speak any minute。
Perhaps this is the very definition of a companion。 Innocent Smith
seemed to throw himself； as into other adventures； into the adventure
of making her talk。 He never succeeded； yet he was never snubbed；
if he achieved anything； it was only to draw attention to this quiet figure；
and to turn her； by ever so little； from a modesty to a mystery。
But if she was a riddle； every one recognized that she was a fresh
and unspoilt riddle； like the riddle of the sky and the woods in spring。
Indeed； though she was rather older than the other two girls；
she had an early morning ardour； a fresh earnestness of youth；
which Rosamund seemed to have lost in the mere spending of money；
and Diana in the mere guarding of it。 Smith looked at her again and again。
Her eyes and mouth were set in her face the wrong waywhich was really
the right way。 She had the knack of saying everything with her face：
her silence was a sort of steady applause。
But among the hilarious experiments of that holiday
（which seemed more like a week's holiday than a day's）
one experiment towers supreme； not because it was any sillier
or more successful than the others； but because out of this
particular folly flowed all of the odd events that were to follow。
All the other practical jokes exploded of themselves； and left vacancy；
all the other fictions returned upon themselves； and were finished
like a song。 But the string of solid and startling events
which were to include a hansom cab； a detective； a pistol；
and a marriage licencewere all made primarily possible
by the joke about the High Court of Beacon。
It had originated； not with Innocent Smith； but with Michael Moon。 He was
in a strange glow and pressure of spirits； and talked incessantly；
yet he had never been more sarcastic； and even inhuman。
He used his old useless knowledge as a barrister to talk
entertainingly of a tribunal that was a parody on the pompous
anomalies of English law。 The High Court of Beacon； he declared；
was a splendid example of our free and sensible constitution。
It had been founded by King John in defiance of the Magna Carta；
and now held absolute power over windmills； wine and spirit licences；
ladies traveling in Turkey； revision of sentences for dog…stealing
and parricide； as well as anything whatever that happened in the town of
Market Bosworth。 The whole hundred and nine seneschals of the High Court
of Beacon met once in every four centuries； but in the intervals
（as Mr。 Moon explained） the whole powers of the institution were vested
in Mrs。 Duke。 Tossed about among the rest of the company； however；
the High Court did not retain its historical and legal seriousness；
but was used somewhat unscrupulously in a riot of domestic detail。
If somebody spilt the Worcester Sauce on the tablecloth； he was quite
sure it was a rite without which the sittings and findings of the Court
would be invalid； or if somebody wanted a window to remain shut；
he would suddenly remember that none but the third son of the lord
of the manor of Penge had the right to open it。 They even went
to the length of making arrests and conducting criminal inquiries。
The proposed trial of Moses Gould for patriotism was rather
above the heads of the company； especially of the criminal；
but the trial of Inglewood on a charge of photographic libel；
and his triumphant acquittal upon a plea of insanity； were admitted
to be in the best tradition of the Court。
But when Smith was in wild spirits he grew more and more serious； not more and
more flippant like Michael Moon。 This proposal of a private court of justice；
which Moon had thrown off with the detachment of a political humourist；
Smith really caught hold of with the eagerness of an abstract philosopher。
It was by far the best thing they could do； he declared； to claim sovereign
powers even for the individual household。
〃You believe in Home Rule for Ireland； I believe in Home Rule for homes；〃
he cried eagerly to Michael。 〃It would be better if every father
COULD kill his son； as with the old Romans； it would be better；
because nobody would be killed。 Let's issue a Declaration
of Independence from Beacon House。 We could grow enough greens
in that garden to support us； and when the tax…collector comes let's
tell him we're self…supporting； and play on him with the hose。
。。。Well； perhaps； as you say； we couldn't very well have a hose；
as that comes from the main； but we could sink a well in this chalk；
and a lot could be done with water…jugs。。。 Let this really be
Beacon House。 Let's light a bonfire of independence on the roof；
and see house after house answering it across the valley of
the Thames！ Let us begin the League of the Free Families！ Away with
Local G