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〃But I shan't care。〃
〃No； you won't mind。〃
〃Well； then it's all right。 Because you only care how you look to
me； do you； dear？ I only dress for you； that's certain。〃
〃Yes； but you see I couldn't appear in it again very well。〃
〃Any strange gentleman you mid meet in your journey might notice the
set of it； I suppose。 Fancy； men in love don't think so much about
how they look to other women。〃 It is difficult to say whether a
tone of playful banter or of gentle reproach prevailed in the
speech。
〃Well then； Dick；〃 she said； with good…humoured frankness； 〃I'll own
it。 I shouldn't like a stranger to see me dressed badly； even
though I am in love。 'Tis our nature； I suppose。〃
〃You perfect woman！〃
〃Yes； if you lay the stress on 'woman；'〃 she murmured； looking at a
group of hollyhocks in flower； round which a crowd of butterflies
had gathered like female idlers round a bonnet…shop。
〃But about the dress。 Why not wear the one you wore at our party？〃
〃That sets well； but a girl of the name of Bet Tallor； who lives
near our house； has had one made almost like it （only in pattern；
though of miserably cheap stuff）； and I couldn't wear it on that
account。 Dear me； I am afraid I can't go now。〃
〃O yes； you must； I know you will！〃 said Dick； with dismay。 〃Why
not wear what you've got on？〃
〃What！ this old one！ After all； I think that by wearing my gray one
Saturday； I can make the blue one do for Sunday。 Yes； I will。 A
hat or a bonnet； which shall it be？ Which do I look best in？〃
〃Well； I think the bonnet is nicest； more quiet and matronly。〃
〃What's the objection to the hat？ Does it make me look old？〃
〃O no； the hat is well enough； but it makes you look rather tooyou
won't mind me saying it； dear？〃
〃Not at all； for I shall wear the bonnet。〃
〃Rather too coquettish and flirty for an engaged young woman。〃
She reflected a minute。 〃Yes； yes。 Still； after all； the hat would
do best； hats ARE best； you see。 Yes； I must wear the hat； dear
Dicky； because I ought to wear a hat； you know。〃
PART THE FORTHAUTUMN
CHAPTER I： GOING NUTTING
Dick； dressed in his 'second…best' suit； burst into Fancy's sitting…
room with a glow of pleasure on his face。
It was two o'clock on Friday； the day be fore her contemplated visit
to her father； and for some reason connected with cleaning the
school the children had been given this Friday afternoon for
pastime； in addition to the usual Saturday。
〃Fancy！ it happens just right that it is a leisure half day with
you。 Smart is lame in his near…foot…afore； and so； as I can't do
anything； I've made a holiday afternoon of it； and am come for you
to go nutting with me！〃
She was sitting by the parlour window； with a blue frock lying
across her lap and scissors in her hand。
〃Go nutting！ Yes。 But I'm afraid I can't go for an hour or so。〃
〃Why not？ 'Tis the only spare afternoon we may both have together
for weeks。〃
〃This dress of mine； that I am going to wear on Sunday at Yalbury；
I find it fits so badly that I must alter it a little； after all。 I
told the dressmaker to make it by a pattern I gave her at the time；
instead of that； she did it her own way； and made me look a perfect
fright。〃
〃How long will you be？〃 he inquired； looking rather disappointed。
〃Not long。 Do wait and talk to me； come； do； dear。〃
Dick sat down。 The talking progressed very favourably； amid the
snipping and sewing； till about half…past two； at which time his
conversation began to be varied by a slight tapping upon his toe
with a walking…stick he had cut from the hedge as he came along。
Fancy talked and answered him； but sometimes the answers were so
negligently given； that it was evident her thoughts lay for the
greater part in her lap with the blue dress。
The clock struck three。 Dick arose from his seat； walked round the
room with his hands behind him； examined all the furniture； then
sounded a few notes on the harmonium； then looked inside all the
books he could find； then smoothed Fancy's head with his hand。
Still the snipping and sewing went on。
The clock struck four。 Dick fidgeted about； yawned privately；
counted the knots in the table； yawned publicly； counted the flies
on the ceiling； yawned horribly； went into the kitchen and scullery；
and so thoroughly studied the principle upon which the pump was
constructed that he could have delivered a lecture on the subject。
Stepping back to Fancy； and finding still that she had not done； he
went into her garden and looked at her cabbages and potatoes； and
reminded himself that they seemed to him to wear a decidedly
feminine aspect； then pulled up several weeds； and came in again。
The clock struck five； and still the snipping and sewing went on。
Dick attempted to kill a fly； peeled all the rind off his walking…
stick； then threw the stick into the scullery because it was spoilt；
produced hideous discords from the harmonium； and accidentally
overturned a vase of flowers； the water from which ran in a rill
across the table and dribbled to the floor； where it formed a lake；
the shape of which； after the lapse of a few minutes； he began to
modify considerably with his foot； till it was like a map of England
and Wales。
〃Well； Dick； you needn't have made quite such a mess。〃
〃Well； I needn't； I suppose。〃 He walked up to the blue dress； and
looked at it with a rigid gaze。 Then an idea seemed to cross his
brain。
〃Fancy。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I thought you said you were going to wear your gray gown all day
to…morrow on your trip to Yalbury； and in the evening too； when I
shall be with you； and ask your father for you？〃
〃So I am。〃
〃And the blue one only on Sunday？〃
〃And the blue one Sunday。〃
〃Well； dear； I sha'n't be at Yalbury Sunday to see it。〃
〃No； but I shall walk to Longpuddle church in the afternoon with
father； and such lots of people will be looking at me there； you
know； and it did set so badly round the neck。〃
〃I never noticed it； and 'tis like nobody else would。〃
〃They might。〃
〃Then why not wear the gray one on Sunday as well？ 'Tis as pretty
as the blue one。〃
〃I might make the gray one do； certainly。 But it isn't so good； it
didn't cost half so much as this one； and besides； it would be the
same I wore Saturday。〃
〃Then wear the striped one； dear。〃
〃I might。〃
〃Or the dark one。〃
〃Yes； I might； but I want to wear a fresh one they haven't seen。〃
〃I see； I see；〃 said Dick； in a voice in which the tones of love
were decidedly inconvenienced by a considerable emphasis； his
thoughts meanwhile running as follows： 〃I； the man she loves best
in the world； as she says； am to understand that my poor half…
holiday is to be lost； because she wants to wear on Sunday a gown
there is not the slightest necessity for wearing； simpl