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〃Forgive me； darling； forgive me；〃 stammered Stanley； and he put his
hand under her chin and lifted her face to him。
〃Forgive you？〃 smiled Linda。 〃But whatever for？〃
〃Good God！ You can't have forgotten；〃 cried Stanley Burnell。 〃I've
thought of nothing else all day。 I've had the hell of a day。 I made up my
mind to dash out and telegraph； and then I thought the wire mightn't reach
you before I did。 I've been in tortures； Linda。〃
〃But； Stanley；〃 said Linda； 〃what must I forgive you for？〃
〃Linda！〃Stanley was very hurt〃didn't you realizeyou must have
realizedI went away without saying good…bye to you this morning？ I
can't imagine how I can have done such a thing。 My confounded temper；
of course。 Butwell〃and he sighed and took her in his arms again
〃I've suffered for it enough to…day。〃
〃What's that you've got in your hand？〃 asked Linda。 〃New gloves？
Let me see。〃
〃Oh； just a cheap pair of wash…leather ones；〃 said Stanley humbly。 〃I
noticed Bell was wearing some in the coach this morning； so； as I was
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passing the shop； I dashed in and got myself a pair。 What are you
smiling at？ You don't think it was wrong of me； do you？〃
〃On the con…trary； darling；〃 said Linda； 〃I think it was most sensible。〃
She pulled one of the large； pale gloves on her own fingers and looked
at her hand； turning it this way and that。 She was still smiling。
Stanley wanted to say； 〃I was thinking of you the whole time I bought
them。〃 It was true； but for some reason he couldn't say it。 〃Let's go in；〃
said he。
Chapter 1。XII。
Why does one feel so different at night？ Why is it so exciting to be
awake when everybody else is asleep？ Lateit is very late！ And yet
every moment you feel more and more wakeful； as though you were
slowly； almost with every breath； waking up into a new； wonderful； far
more thrilling and exciting world than the daylight one。 And what is this
queer sensation that you're a conspirator？ Lightly； stealthily you move
about your room。 You take something off the dressing…table and put it
down again without a sound。 And everything； even the bed…post； knows
you； responds； shares your secret。。。
You're not very fond of your room by day。 You never think about it。
You're in and out； the door opens and slams； the cupboard creaks。 You sit
down on the side of your bed； change your shoes and dash out again。 A
dive down to the glass； two pins in your hair； powder your nose and off
again。 But nowit's suddenly dear to you。 It's a darling little funny
room。 It's yours。 Oh； what a joy it is to own things！ Minemy own！
〃My very own for ever？〃
〃Yes。〃 Their lips met。
No； of course； that had nothing to do with it。 That was all nonsense
and rubbish。 But； in spite of herself； Beryl saw so plainly two people
standing in the middle of her room。 Her arms were round his neck； he
held her。 And now he whispered； 〃My beauty； my little beauty！〃 She
jumped off her bed； ran over to the window and kneeled on the window…
seat； with her elbows on the sill。 But the beautiful night； the garden；
every bush； every leaf； even the white palings； even the stars； were
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conspirators too。 So bright was the moon that the flowers were bright as
by day； the shadow of the nasturtiums； exquisite lily…like leaves and wide…
open flowers； lay across the silvery veranda。 The manuka…tree； bent by
the southerly winds； was like a bird on one leg stretching out a wing。
But when Beryl looked at the bush； it seemed to her the bush was sad。
〃We are dumb trees； reaching up in the night； imploring we know not
what；〃 said the sorrowful bush。
It is true when you are by yourself and you think about life； it is
always sad。 All that excitement and so on has a way of suddenly leaving
you； and it's as though； in the silence； somebody called your name； and
you heard your name for the first time。 〃Beryl！〃
〃Yes； I'm here。 I'm Beryl。 Who wants me？〃
〃Beryl！〃
〃Let me come。〃
It is lonely living by oneself。 Of course； there are relations； friends；
heaps of them； but that's not what she means。 She wants some one who
will find the Beryl they none of them know； who will expect her to be that
Beryl always。 She wants a lover。
〃Take me away from all these other people； my love。 Let us go far
away。 Let us live our life； all new； all ours； from the very beginning。
Let us make our fire。 Let us sit down to eat together。 Let us have long
talks at night。〃
And the thought was almost； 〃Save me； my love。 Save me！〃
。。。〃Oh； go on！ Don't be a prude； my dear。 You enjoy yourself while
you're young。 That's my advice。〃 And a high rush of silly laughter
joined Mrs。 Harry Kember's loud； indifferent neigh。
You see； it's so frightfully difficult when you've nobody。 You're so at
the mercy of things。 You can't just be rude。 And you've always this
horror of seeming inexperienced and stuffy like the other ninnies at the
Bay。 Andand it's fascinating to know you've power over people。 Yes；
that is fascinating。。。
Oh why； oh why doesn't 〃he〃 come soon？
If I go on living here； thought Beryl； anything may happen to me。
〃But how do you know he is coming at all？〃 mocked a small voice
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within her。
But Beryl dismissed it。 She couldn't be left。 Other people； perhaps；
but not she。 It wasn't possible to think that Beryl Fairfield never married；
that lovely fascinating girl。
〃Do you remember Beryl Fairfield？〃
〃Remember her！ As if I could f