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Not that I do not love you。 I love you as much as it is possible for me to
love any woman； but； truth to tell； I have come to the conclusion that I am
not a marrying man； and the idea of settling down fills me with nothing
but〃 and the word 〃disgust〃 was scratched out lightly and 〃regret〃
written over the top。
Basil！ Miss Meadows stalked over to the piano。 And Mary Beazley；
who was waiting for this moment； bent forward； her curls fell over her
cheeks while she breathed； 〃Good morning； Miss Meadows；〃 and she
motioned towards rather than handed to her mistress a beautiful yellow
chrysanthemum。 This little ritual of the flower had been gone through
for ages and ages； quite a term and a half。 It was as much part of the
lesson as opening the piano。 But this morning； instead of taking it up；
instead of tucking it into her belt while she leant over Mary and said；
〃Thank you； Mary。 How very nice！ Turn to page thirty…two；〃 what was
Mary's horror when Miss Meadows totally ignored the chrysanthemum；
made no reply to her greeting； but said in a voice of ice； 〃Page fourteen；
please； and mark the accents well。〃
Staggering moment！ Mary blushed until the tears stood in her eyes；
but Miss Meadows was gone back to the music stand； her voice rang
through the music hall。
〃Page fourteen。 We will begin with page fourteen。 'A Lament。'
Now； girls； you ought to know it by this time。 We shall take it all
together； not in parts； all together。 And without expression。 Sing it；
though； quite simply； beating time with the left hand。〃
She raised the baton； she tapped the music stand twice。 Down came
Mary on the opening chord； down came all those left hands； beating the air；
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and in chimed those young； mournful voices： 〃Fast！ Ah； too Fast
Fade the Ro…o…ses of Pleasure； Soon Autumn yields unto Wi…i…nter
Drear。 Fleetly！ Ah； Fleetly Mu…u…sic's Gay Measure Passes away
from the Listening Ear。〃
Good Heavens； what could be more tragic than that lament！ Every
note was a sigh； a sob； a groan of awful mournfulness。 Miss Meadows
lifted her arms in the wide gown and began conducting with both hands。
〃。。。I feel more and more strongly that our marriage would be a mistake。。。〃
she beat。 And the voices cried： 〃Fleetly！ Ah； Fleetly。〃 What could
have possessed him to write such a letter！ What could have led up to it！
It came out of nothing。 His last letter had been all about a fumed…oak
bookcase he had bought for 〃our〃 books； and a 〃natty little hall…stand〃 he
had seen； 〃a very neat affair with a carved owl on a bracket； holding three
hat…brushes in its claws。〃 How she had smiled at that！ So like a man to
think one needed three hat…brushes！ 〃From the Listening Ear；〃 sang the
voices。
〃Once again；〃 said Miss Meadows。 〃But this time in parts。 Still
without expression。〃 〃Fast！ Ah； too Fast。〃 With the gloom of the
contraltos added； one could scarcely help shuddering。 〃Fade the Roses of
Pleasure。〃 Last time he had come to see her； Basil had worn a rose in his
buttonhole。 How handsome he had looked in that bright blue suit； with
that dark red rose！ And he knew it； too。 He couldn't help knowing it。
First he stroked his hair； then his moustache； his teeth gleamed when he
smiled。
〃The headmaster's wife keeps on asking me to dinner。 It's a perfect
nuisance。 I never get an evening to myself in that place。〃
〃But can't you refuse？〃
〃Oh； well； it doesn't do for a man in my position to be unpopular。〃
〃Music's Gay Measure；〃 wailed the voices。 The willow trees； outside
the high； narrow windows； waved in the wind。 They had lost half their
leaves。 The tiny ones that clung wriggled like fishes caught on a line。
〃。。。I am not a marrying man。。。〃 The voices were silent； the piano waited。
〃Quite good；〃 said Miss Meadows； but still in such a strange； stony
tone that the younger girls began to feel positively frightened。 〃But now
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The Garden Party
that we know it； we shall take it with expression。 As much expression as
you can put into it。 Think of the words； girls。 Use your imaginations。
'Fast！ Ah； too Fast；'〃 cried Miss Meadows。 〃That ought to break outa
loud； strong fortea lament。 And then in the second line； 'Winter Drear；'
make that 'Drear' sound as if a cold wind were blowing through it。 'Dre…
ear！'〃 said she so awfully that Mary Beazley； on the music stool； wriggled
her spine。 〃The third line should be one crescendo。 'Fleetly！ Ah；
Fleetly Music's Gay Measure。' Breaking on the first word of the last line；
Passes。' And then on the word； 'Away；' you must begin to die。。。to
fade。。。until 'The Listening Ear' is nothing more than a faint whisper。。。You
can slow down as much as you like almost on the last line。 Now； please。〃
Again the two light taps； she lifted her arms again。 'Fast！ Ah； too
Fast。' 〃。。。and the idea of settling down fills me with nothing but disgust
〃 Disgust was what he had written。 That was as good as to say their
engagement was definitely broken off。 Broken off！ Their engagement！
People had been surprised enough that she had got engaged。 The Science
Mistress would not believe it at first。 But nobody had been as surprised
as she。 She was thirty。 Basil was twenty…five。 It had been a miracle；
simply a miracle； to hear him say； as they walked home from church that
very dark night； 〃You know； somehow or other； I've got fond of you。〃
And he had taken hold of the end of her ostrich feather boa。 〃Passes
away from the Listening Ear。〃
〃Repeat！ Repeat！〃 said Miss Meadows。 〃More expression； girls！
Once more！〃
〃Fast！ Ah； to