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holiday is to be lost； because she wants to wear on Sunday a gown
there is not the slightest necessity for wearing； simply； in fact；
to appear more striking than usual in the eyes of Longpuddle young
men； and I not there； either。〃
〃Then there are three dresses good enough for my eyes； but neither
is good enough for the youths of Longpuddle；〃 he said。
〃No； not that exactly； Dick。 Still； you see； I do wantto look
pretty to themthere； that's honest！ But I sha'n't be much
longer。〃
〃How much？〃
〃A quarter of an hour。〃
〃Very well； I'll come in in a quarter of an hour。〃
〃Why go away？〃
〃I mid as well。〃
He went out； walked down the road； and sat upon a gate。 Here he
meditated and meditated； and the more he meditated the more
decidedly did he begin to fume； and the more positive was he that
his time had been scandalously trifled with by Miss Fancy Daythat；
so far from being the simple girl who had never had a sweetheart
before； as she had solemnly assured him time after time； she was； if
not a flirt； a woman who had had no end of admirers； a girl most
certainly too anxious about her frocks； a girl； whose feelings；
though warm； were not deep； a girl who cared a great deal too much
how she appeared in the eyes of other men。 〃What she loves best in
the world；〃 he thought； with an incipient spice of his father's
grimness； 〃is her hair and complexion。 What she loves next best；
her gowns and hats； what she loves next best； myself； perhaps！〃
Suffering great anguish at this disloyalty in himself and harshness
to his darling； yet disposed to persevere in it； a horribly cruel
thought crossed his mind。 He would not call for her； as he had
promised； at the end of a quarter of an hour！ Yes； it would be a
punishment she well deserved。 Although the best part of the
afternoon had been wasted he would go nutting as he had intended；
and go by himself。
He leaped over the gate； and pushed up the lane for nearly two
miles； till a winding path called Snail…Creep sloped up a hill and
entered a hazel copse by a hole hike a rabbit's burrow。 In he
plunged； vanished among the bushes； and in a short time there was no
sign of his existence upon earth； save an occasional rustling of
boughs and snapping of twigs in divers points of Grey's Wood。
Never man nutted as Dick nutted that afternoon。 He worked like a
galley slave。 Half…hour after half…hour passed away； and still he
gathered without ceasing。 At last； when the sun had set； and
bunches of nuts could not be distinguished from the leaves which
nourished them； he shouldered his bag； containing quite two pecks of
the finest produce of the wood； about as much use to him as two
pecks of stones from the road； strolled down the woodland track；
crossed the highway and entered the homeward lane； whistling as be
went。
Probably； Miss Fancy Day never before or after stood so low in Mr。
Dewy's opinion as on that afternoon。 In fact； it is just possible
that a few more blue dresses on the Longpuddle young men's account
would have clarified Dick's brain entirely； and made him once more a
free man。
But Venus had planned other developments； at any rate for the
present。 Cuckoo…Lane； the way he pursued； passed over a ridge which
rose keenly against the sky about fifty yards in his van。 Here；
upon the bright after…glow about the horizon； was now visible an
irregular shape； which at first he conceived to be a bough standing
a little beyond the line of its neighbours。 Then it seemed to move；
and； as he advanced still further； there was no doubt that it was a
living being sitting in the bank； head bowed on hand。 The grassy
margin entirely prevented his footsteps from being heard； and it was
not till he was close that the figure recognized him。 Up it sprang；
and he was face to face with Fancy。
〃Dick； Dick！ O； is it you； Dick！〃
〃Yes； Fancy；〃 said Dick； in a rather repentant tone； and lowering
his nuts。
She ran up to him； flung her parasol on the grass； put her little
head against his breast； and then there began a narrative；
disjointed by such a hysterical weeping as was never surpassed for
intensity in the whole history of love。
〃O Dick；〃 she sobbed out； 〃where have you been away from me？ O； I
have suffered agony； and thought you would never come any more！
'Tis cruel； Dick； no 'tisn't； it is justice！ I've been walking
miles and miles up and down Grey's Wood； trying to find you； till I
was wearied and worn out； and I could walk no further； and had come
back this far！ O Dick； directly you were gone； I thought I had
offended you and I put down the dress； 'tisn't finished now； and I
never will finish； it； and I'll wear an old one Sunday！ Yes； Dick；
I will； because I don't care what I wear when you are not by my
sideha； you think I do； but I don't！and I ran after you； and I
saw you go up Snail…Creep and not look back once； and then you
plunged in； and I after you； but I was too far behind。 O； I did
wish the horrid bushes had been cut down； so that I could see your
dear shape again！ And then I called out to you； and nobody
answered； and I was afraid to call very loud； lest anybody else
should hear me。 Then I kept wandering and wandering about； and it
was dreadful misery； Dick。 And then I shut my eyes and fell to
picturing you looking at some other woman； very pretty and nice； but
with no affection or truth in her at all； and then imagined you
saying to yourself； 〃Ah； she's as good as Fancy； for Fancy told me a
story； and was a flirt； and cared for herself more than me； so now
I'll have this one for my sweetheart。〃 O； you won't； will you；
Dick； for I do love you so！〃
It is scarcely necessary to add that Dick renounced his freedom
there and then； and kissed her ten times over； and promised that no
pretty woman of the kind alluded to should ever engross his
thoughts； in short； that though he had been vexed with her； all such
vexation was past； and that henceforth and for ever it was simply
Fancy or death for him。 And then they set about proceeding
homewards； very slowly on account of Fancy's weariness； she leaning
upon his shoulder； and in addition receiving support from his arm
round her waist； though she had sufficiently recovered from her
desperate condition to sing to him； 〃Why are you wandering here； I
pray？〃 during the latter part of their walk。 Nor is it necessary to
describe in detail how the bag of nuts was quite forgotten until
three days later； when it was found among the brambles and restored
empty to Mrs。 Dewy； her initials being marked thereon in red cotton；
and how she puzzled herself till her head ached upon the question of
how on earth her meal…bag could have got into Cuckoo…Lane。
CHAPTER II： HONEY…TAKING； AND AFTERWARDS
Saturday evening saw Dick Dewy journeying on foot to Yalbury Wood；
according to the arrangement with Fancy。
The landscape being concave； at the going