thought desperately that if he were to miss many more strokes the
game must presently end； and an opportunity which might never
recur pass beyond recall。 He determined to tell her without
preface that he adored her； but when he opened his lips a
question came forth of its own accord relating to the Persian way
of playing billiards。 Gertrude had never been in Persia； but had
seen some Eastern billiard cues in the India museum。 Were not the
Hindoos wonderful people for filigree work； and carpets； and such
things？ Did he not think thc crookedness of their carpet patterns
a blemish？ Some people pretended to admire them； but was not that
all nonsense？ Was not the modern polished floor； with a rug in
the middle； much superior to the old carpet fitted into the
corners of the room？ Yes。 Enormously superior。 Immensely
〃Why； what are you thinking of to…day； Mr。 Erskine？ You have
played with my ball。〃
〃I am thinking of you。〃
〃What did you say？〃 said Gertrude； not catching the serious turn
he had given to the conversation； and poising her cue for a
stroke。 〃Oh！ I am as bad as you； that was the worst stroke I ever
made； I think。 I beg your pardon； you said something just now。〃
〃I forget。 Nothing of any consequence。〃 And he groaned at his own
cowardice。
〃Suppose we stop；〃 she said。 〃There is no use in finishing the
game if our hands are out。 I am rather tired of it。〃
〃Certainlyif you wish it〃
〃I will finish if you like。〃
〃Not at all。 What pleases you； pleases me。〃
Gertrude made him a little bow； and idly knocked the balls about
with her cue。 Erskine's eyes wandered； and his lip moved
irresolutely。 He had settled with himself that his declaration
should be a frank oneheart to heart。 He had pictured himself in
the act of taking her hand delicately； and saying； 〃Gertrude； I
love you。 May I tell you so again？〃 But this scheme did not now
seem practicable。
〃Miss Lindsay。〃
Gertrude； bending over the table； looked up in alarm。
〃The present is as good an opportunity as I willas I shallas
I will。〃
〃Shall；〃 said Gertrude。
〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃SHALL；〃 repeated Gertrude。 〃Did you ever study the doctrine of
necessity？〃
〃The doctrine of necessity？〃 he said； bewildered。
Gertrude went to the other side of the table in pursuit of a
ball。 She now guessed what was coming； and was willing that it
should come； not because she intended to accept； but because；
like other young ladies experienced in such scenes； she counted
the proposals of marriage she received as a Red Indian counts the
scalps he takes。
〃We have had a very pleasant time of it here；〃 he said； giving up
as inexplicable the relevance of the doctrine of necessity。 〃At
least； I have。〃
〃Well；〃 said Gertrude； quick to resent a fancied allusion to her
private discontent； 〃so have I。〃
〃I am glad of thatmore so than I can convey by words。〃
〃Is it any business of yours？〃 she said； following the
disagreeable vein he had unconsciously struck upon； and
suspecting pity in his efforts to be sympathetic。
〃I wish I dared hope so。 The happiness of my visit has been due
to you entirely。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said Gertrude； wincing as all the hard things Trefusis
had told her of herself came into her mind at the heels of
Erskine's unfortunate allusion to her power of enjoying herself。
〃I hope I am not paining you；〃 he said earnestly。
〃I don't know what you are talking about；〃 she said； standing
erect with sudden impatience。 〃You seem to think that it is very
easy to pain me。〃
〃No；〃 he said timidly； puzzled by the effect he had produced。 〃I
fear you misunderstand me。 I am very awkward。 Perhaps I had
better say no more； Gertrude； by turning away to put up her cue；
signified that that was a point for him to consider； she not
intending to trouble herself about it。 When she faced him again；
he was motionless and dejected； with a wistful expression like
that of a dog that has proffered a caress and received a kick。
Remorse； and a vague sense that there was something base in her
attitude towards him； overcame her。 She looked at him for an
instant and left the room。
The look excited him。 He did not understand it； nor attempt to
understand it； but it was a look that he had never before seen in
her face or in that of any other woman。 It struck him as a
momentary revelation of what he had written of in 〃The Patriot
Martyrs〃 as
〃The glorious mystery of a woman's heart；〃
and it made him feel unfit for ordinary social intercourse。 He
hastened from the house； walked swiftly down the avenue to the
lodge； where he kept his bicycle； left word there that he was
going for an excursion and should probably not return in time for
dinner； mounted； and sped away recklessly along the Riverside
Road。 In less than two minutes he passed the gate of Sallust's
House； where he nearly ran over an old woman laden with a basket
of coals； who put down her burthen to scream curses after him。
Warned by this that his headlong pace was dangerous； he slackened
it a little； and presently saw Trefusis lying prone on the river
bank； with his cheeks propped on his elbows； reading intently。
Erskine； who had presented him； a few days before； with a copy of
〃The Patriot Martyrs and other Poems；〃 tried to catch a glimpse
of the book over which Trefusis was so serious。 It was a Blue
Book； full of figures。 Erskine rode on in disgust； consoling
himself with the recollection of Gertrude's face。
The highway now swerved inland from the river； and rose to a
steep acclivity； at the brow of which he turned and looked back。
The light was growing ruddy； and the shadows were lengthening。
Trefusis was still prostrate in the meadow； and the old woman was
in a field； gathering hemlock。
Erskine raced down the hill at full speed； and did not look
behind him again until he found himself at nightfall on the
skirts of a town； where he purchased some beer and a sandwich；
which he ate with little appetite。 Gertrude had set up a
disturbance within him which made him impatient of eating。
It was now dark。 He was many miles from Brandon Beeches； and not
sure of the way back。 Suddenly he resolved to complete his
unfinished declaration that evening。 He now could not ride back
fast enough to satisfy his impatience。 He tried a short cut； lost
himself； spent nearly an hour seeking the highroad； and at last
came upon a railway station just in time to catch a train that
brought him within a mile of his destination。
When he rose from the cushions of the railway carriage he found
himself somewhat fatigued； and he mounted the bicycle stiffly。
But his resolution was as ardent as ever； and his heart beat
strongly as； after leaving his bicycle at the lodge； he walked up
the avenue through the deep gloom beneath the beeches。 Near the
house； the first notes of 〃Grudel perche finora〃 reached him； and
he stepped softly on to the turf lest his footsteps on the gravel
should rouse the dogs and make them mar the harmony by barking。 A
rustle made him stop and listen。 Then Gertrude's voice whispered
through the darkness：
〃What did you mean by what you said to me within？〃
An extraordinary sensation shook Erskine； confused ideas of
fairyland ran through his imagination。 A bitter disappointment；
like that of waking from a happy dream； followed as Trefusis's
voice； more finely tuned than he had ever heard it before；
answered；
〃Merely that the expanse of stars above us is not more
illimitable than my contempt for Miss Lindsay； nor brighter than
my hopes of Gertrude。〃
〃Miss Lindsay always to you； if you please； Mr。 Trefusis。〃
〃Miss Lindsay never to me； but only to those who cannot see
through her to the soul within； which is Gertrude。 There are a
thousand Miss Lindsays in the world； formal and false。 There is
but one Gertrude。〃
〃I am an unprotected girl； Mr。 Trefusis； and you can call me what
you please。〃
It occurred to Erskine that this was a fit occasion to rush
forward and give Trefusis； whose figure he could now dimly
discern； a black eye。 But he hesitated； and the opportunity
passed。
〃Unprotected！〃 said Trefusis。 〃Why； you are fenced round and
barred in with conventions； laws； and lies that would frighten
the truth from the lips of any man whose faith in Gertrude was
less strong than mine。 Go to Sir Charles and tell him what I have
said to Miss Lindsay； and within ten minutes I shall have passed
these gates with a warning never to approach them again。 I am in
your power； and were I in Miss Lindsay's power alone； my shrift
would be short。 Happily； Gertrude； though she sees as yet but
darkly； feels that Miss Lindsay is her bitterest foe。〃
〃It is ridiculous。 I am not two persons； I am only one。 What does
it matter to me if your contempt for me is as illimitable as the
stars？〃
〃Ah； you remember that； do you？ Whenever you hear a man talking
about the stars you may conclude that he is either an astronomer
or a fool。 But you and a fine starry night would make a fool of
any man。〃
〃I don't understand you。 I try to； but I cannot； or； if I guess；
I cannot tell whether you are in earnest or not。〃
〃I am very much in earnest。 Abandon at once and for ever all
misgivings that I am trifling with you； or passing an idle hour
as men do when they find themselves in the company of beautiful
women。 I mean what I say literally； and in the deepest sense。 You
doubt me； we have brought society to such a state that we all
suspect one another。 But whatever is true will command belief
sooner or later from those who have wit enough to comprehend
truth。 Now let me recall Miss Lindsay to consciousness by
remarking that we have been out for ten minutes； and that our
hostess is not the woman to allow our absence to pass without
comment。〃
〃Let us go in。 Thank you for reminding me。〃
〃Thank you for forgetting。〃
Erskine heard their footsteps retreating； and presently saw the
two enter the glow of light that shone from the open window of
the billiard room； through which they went indoors。 Trefusis； a
man whom he had seen that day in a beautiful landscape； blind to
everything except a row of figures in a Blue Book； was his
successful rival； although it was plain from the very sound of
his voice that he