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Coincidence' is still to write。〃
Silence。
Wishing to round off the episode； he added； 〃We are all so glad
that you have come。〃
Silence。
〃Here we are！〃 called Freddy。
〃Oh； good！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Beebe； mopping his brow。
〃In there's the pond。 I wish it was bigger；〃 he added
apologetically。
They climbed down a slippery bank of pine…needles。 There lay the
pond； set in its little alp of greenonly a pond； but large
enough to contain the human body； and pure enough to reflect the
sky。 On account of the rains； the waters had flooded the
surrounding grass； which showed like a beautiful emerald path；
tempting these feet towards the central pool。
〃It's distinctly successful； as ponds go；〃 said Mr。 Beebe。 〃No
apologies are necessary for the pond。〃
George sat down where the ground was dry； and drearily unlaced
his boots。
〃Aren't those masses of willow…herb splendid？ I love willow…herb
in seed。 What's the name of this aromatic plant？〃
No one knew； or seemed to care。
〃These abrupt changes of vegetationthis little spongeous
tract of water plants； and on either side of it all the growths
are tough or brittleheather； bracken； hurts； pines。 Very
charming； very charming。
〃Mr。 Beebe； aren't you bathing？〃 called Freddy； as he stripped
himself。
Mr。 Beebe thought he was not。
〃Water's wonderful！〃 cried Freddy； prancing in。
〃Water's water；〃 murmured George。 Wetting his hair firsta sure
sign of apathyhe followed Freddy into the divine； as
indifferent as if he were a statue and the pond a pail of
soapsuds。 It was necessary to use his muscles。 It was necessary
to keep clean。 Mr。 Beebe watched them； and watched the seeds of
the willow…herb dance chorically above their heads。
〃Apooshoo； apooshoo； apooshoo；〃 went Freddy； swimming for two
strokes in either direction； and then becoming involved in reeds
or mud。
〃Is it worth it？〃 asked the other； Michelangelesque on the
flooded margin。
The bank broke away； and he fell into the pool before he had
weighed the question properly。
〃Hee…poofI've swallowed a pollywog； Mr。 Beebe； water's
wonderful； water's simply ripping。〃
〃Water's not so bad；〃 said George； reappearing from his plunge；
and sputtering at the sun。
〃Water's wonderful。 Mr。 Beebe； do。〃
〃Apooshoo； kouf。〃
Mr。 Beebe； who was hot； and who always acquiesced where possible；
looked around him。 He could detect no parishioners except the
pine…trees； rising up steeply on all sides； and gesturing to each
other against the blue。 How glorious it was！ The world of
motor…cars and rural Deans receded inimitably。 Water； sky；
evergreens； a windthese things not even the seasons can touch；
and surely they lie beyond the intrusion of man？
〃I may as well wash too〃； and soon his garments made a third
little pile on the sward； and he too asserted the wonder of the
water。
It was ordinary water； nor was there very much of it； and； as
Freddy said； it reminded one of swimming in a salad。 The three
gentlemen rotated in the pool breast high； after the fashion of
the nymphs in Gotterdammerung。 But either because the rains had
given a freshness or because the sun was shedding a most glorious
heat； or because two of the gentlemen were young in years and the
third young in spiritfor some reason or other a change came
over them； and they forgot Italy and Botany and Fate。 They began
to play。 Mr。 Beebe and Freddy splashed each other。 A little
deferentially； they splashed George。 He was quiet： they feared
they had offended him。 Then all the forces of youth burst out。 He
smiled； flung himself at them； splashed them； ducked them； kicked
them； muddied them； and drove them out of the pool。
〃Race you round it； then；〃 cried Freddy； and they raced in the
sunshine； and George took a short cut and dirtied his shins； and
had to bathe a second time。 Then Mr。 Beebe consented to runa
memorable sight。
They ran to get dry； they bathed to get cool； they played at
being Indians in the willow…herbs and in the bracken； they bathed
to get clean。 And all the time three little bundles lay
discreetly on the sward； proclaiming：
〃No。 We are what matters。 Without us shall no enterprise begin。
To us shall all flesh turn in the end。〃
〃A try！ A try！〃 yelled Freddy； snatching up George's bundle and
placing it beside an imaginary goal…post。
〃Socker rules；〃 George retorted； scattering Freddy's bundle
with a kick。
〃Goal！〃
〃Goal！〃
〃Pass！〃
〃Take care my watch！〃 cried Mr。 Beebe。
Clothes flew in all directions。
〃Take care my hat！ No； that's enough； Freddy。 Dress now。 No； I
say！〃
But the two young men were delirious。 Away they twinkled into the
trees； Freddy with a clerical waistcoat under his arm； George
with a wide…awake hat on his dripping hair。
〃That'll do！〃 shouted Mr。 Beebe； remembering that after all he
was in his own parish。 Then his voice changed as if every
pine…tree was a Rural Dean。 〃Hi！ Steady on！ I see people coming
you fellows！〃
Yells； and widening circles over the dappled earth。
〃Hi！ hi！ LADIES！〃
Neither George nor Freddy was truly refined。 Still； they did not
hear Mr。 Beebe's last warning or they would have avoided Mrs。
Honeychurch； Cecil； and Lucy； who were walking down to call on
old Mrs。 Butterworth。 Freddy dropped the waistcoat at their feet；
and dashed into some bracken。 George whooped in their faces；
turned and scudded away down the path to the pond； still
clad in Mr。 Beebe's hat。
〃Gracious alive！〃 cried Mrs。 Honeychurch。 〃Whoever were those
unfortunate people？ Oh； dears； look away！ And poor Mr。 Beebe；
too！ Whatever has happened？〃
〃Come this way immediately；〃 commanded Cecil； who always felt
that he must lead women； though knew not whither； and protect
them； though he knew not against what。 He led them now towards
the bracken where Freddy sat concealed。
〃Oh； poor Mr。 Beebe！ Was that his waistcoat we left in the path？
Cecil； Mr。 Beebe's waistcoat〃
No business of ours； said Cecil； glancing at Lucy； who was all
parasol and evidently 〃minded。〃
〃I fancy Mr。 Beebe jumped back into the pond。〃
〃This way； please； Mrs。 Honeychurch； this way。〃
They followed him up the bank attempting the tense yet nonchalant
expression that is suitable for ladies on such occasions。
〃Well； I can't help it；〃 said a voice close ahead； and Freddy
reared a freckled face and a pair of snowy shoulders out of the
fronds。 〃I can't be trodden on； can I？〃
〃Good gracious me； dear； so it's you！ What miserable management！
Why not have a comfortable bath at home； with hot and cold laid
on？〃
〃Look here； mother； a fellow must wash； and a fellow's got to
dry； and if another fellow〃
〃Dear； no doubt you're right as usual； but you are in no position
to argue。 Come； Lucy。〃 They turned。 〃Oh； lookdon't look！ Oh；
poor Mr。 Beebe！ How unfortunate again〃
For