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all； but these were not people who knew Mavering； or knew Alice very
well。
XX。
The next morning Alice was walking slowly along the road toward the
fishing village； when she heard rapid； plunging strides down the wooded
hillside on her right。 She knew them for Mavering's； and she did not
affect surprise when he made a final leap into the road； and shortened
his pace beside her。
〃May I join you； Miss Pasmer？〃
〃I am only going down to the herring…houses；〃 she began。
〃And you'll let me go with you？〃 said the young fellow。 〃The fact is
you're always so frank that you make everything else seem sillyI've
been waiting up there in the woods for you to come by。 Mrs。 Pasmer told
me you had started this way； and I cut across lots to overtake you； and
then； when you came in sight； I had to let you pass before I could screw
my courage up to the point of running after you。 How is that for open…
mindedness？〃
〃It's a very good beginning； I should think。〃
〃Well； don't you think you ought to say now that you're sorry you were so
formidable？〃
〃Am I so formidable？〃 she asked； and then recognised that she had been
trapped into a leading question。
〃You are to me。 Because I would like always to be sure that I had
pleased you； and for the last twelve hours I've only been able to make
sure that I hadn't。 That's the consolation I'm going away with。 I
thought I'd get you to confirm my impression explicitly。 That's why I
wished to join you。〃
〃Are youwere you going away？〃
〃I'm going by the next boat。 What's the use of staying？ I should only
make bad worse。 Yesterday I hoped But last night spoiled everything。
〃Miss Pasmer；〃 he broke out； with a rush of feeling； 〃you must know why I
came up here to Campobello。〃
His steps took him a little ahead of her； and he could look back into her
face as he spoke。 But apparently he saw nothing in it to give him
courage to go on； for he stopped； and then continued； lightly： 〃And I'm
going away because I feel that I've made a failure of the expedition。 I
knew that you were supremely disgusted with me last night； but it will be
a sort of comfort if you'll tell me so。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Alice； 〃everybody thought it was very brilliant； I'm sure。〃
〃And you thought it was a piece of buffoonery。 Well； it was。 I wish
you'd say so； Miss Pasmer； though I didn't mean the playing entirely。 It
would be something to start from； and I want to make a beginningturn
over a new leaf。 Can't you help me to inscribe a good resolution of the
most iron…clad description on the stainless page？ I've lain awake all
night composing one。 Wouldn't you like to hear it？〃
〃I can't see what good that would do；〃 she said； with some relenting
toward a smile； in which he instantly prepared himself to bask。
〃But you will when I've done it。 Now listen！〃
〃Please don't go on。〃 She cut him short with a return to her severity；
which he would not recognise。
〃Well； perhaps I'd better not；〃 he consented。 〃It's rather a long
resolution； and I don't know that I've committed it perfectly yet。 But I
do assure you that if you were disgusted last night； you were not the
only one。 I was immensely disgusted myself； and why I wanted you to tell
me so； was because when I have a strong pressure brought to bear I can
brace up； and do almost anything；〃 he said； dropping into earnest。 Then
he rose lightly again； and added； 〃You have no idea how unpleasant it is
to lie awake all night throwing dust in the eyes of an accusing
conscience。〃
〃It must have been； if you didn't succeed；〃 said Alice drily。
〃Yes； that's itthat's just the point。 If I'd succeeded； I should be
all right； don't you see。 But it was a difficult case。〃 She turned her
face away； but he saw the smile on her cheek； and he laughed as if this
were what he had been trying to make her do。 〃I got beaten。 I had to
give up； and own it。 I had to say that I had thrown my chance away；
and I had better take myself off。〃 He looked at her with a real anxiety
in his gay eyes。
〃The boat goes just after lunch； I believe；〃 she said indifferently。
〃Oh yes； I shall have time to get lunch before I go；〃 he said； with
bitterness。 〃But lunch isn't the only thing； it isn't even the main
thing； Miss Pasmer。〃
〃No？〃 She hardened her heart。
He waited for her to say something more； and then he went on。 〃The
question is whether there's time to undo last night； abolish it； erase it
from the calendar of recorded timesponge it out； in shortand get back
to yesterday afternoon。〃 She made no reply to this。 〃Don't you think it
was a very pleasant picnic； Miss Pasmer？〃 he asked； with pensive
respectfulness。
〃Very；〃 she answered drily。
He cast a glance at the woods that bordered the road on either side。
〃That weird forestI shall never forget it。〃
〃No； it was something to remember；〃 she said。
〃And the blueberry patch？ We mustn't forget the blueberry patch。〃
〃There were a great many blueberries。〃
She walked on； and he said； 〃And that bridgeyou don't have that feeling
of having been here before？〃
〃No。〃
〃Am I walking too fast for you； Miss Pasmer？〃
〃No； I like to walk fast。〃
〃But wouldn't you like to sit down？ On this wayside log； for example？〃
He pointed it out with his stick。 〃It seems to invite repose； and I know
you must be tired。〃
〃I'm not tired。〃
〃Ah； that shows that you didn't lie awake grieving over your follies all
night。 I hope you rested well； Miss Pasmer。〃 She said nothing。 〃If I
thoughtif I could hope that you hadn't； it would be a bond of sympathy；
and I would give almost anything for a bond of sympathy just now； Miss
Pasmer。 Alice！〃 he said； with sudden seriousness。 〃I know that I'm not
worthy even to think of you； and that you're whole worlds above me in
every way。 It's that that takes all heart out of me； and leaves me
without a word to say when I'd like to say so much。 I would like to
speaktell you〃
She interrupted him。 〃I wish to speak to you； Mr。 Mavering； and tell you
thatI'm very tired； and I'm going back to the hotel。 I must ask you to
let me go back alone。〃
〃Alice； I love you。〃
〃I'm sorry you said itsorry； sorry。〃
〃Why？〃 he asked； with hopeless futility。
〃Because there can be no love between usnot friendship evennot
acquaintance。〃
〃I shouldn't have asked for your acquaintance； your friendship； if〃
His words conveyed a delicate reproach； and they stung her； because they
put her in the wrong。
〃No matter；〃 she began wildly。 〃I didn't mean to wound you。 But we must
part； and we must never see each other again：〃
He stood confused； as if he could not make it out or believe it。 〃But
yesterday〃
〃It's to…day now。〃
〃Ah； no！ It's last night。 And I can explain。〃
〃No！〃 she cried。 〃You shall not make me out so mean and vindictive。 I
don't care for last night； nor for anything that happened。〃 This was not
true； but it seemed so to her at the moment； she thought that she really
no longer resented his association with Miss Anderson and his separation
from herself in all that had taken place。
〃Then what is it？〃
〃I can't tell you。 But everything is over between usthat's all。〃
〃But