Jeremy，whohadfromthefirsthatedMrs。LePage，forgothisshynessandbroughtoutfiercely：
“Ofcoursehe’scoming。Hamletalwaysgoeseverywherewithus。“
“Hamlet！“saidMr。LePageinhisdeepbassvoice。
“Whatastrangenameforadog！“saidMrs。LePageintonesofvaguedistrust。
AtlastitwassettledthatonememberoftheColepartyshouldridewiththeLePages，andMarywasselected。PoorMary！inevitablychosenwhensomethingunpleasantmustbedone。To-dayitwasespeciallyhardforher，becausesheentertainedsoimplacableahatredforthelovelyCharlotteandlooked，itmustbeconfessed，soplainandshabbybythesideofher。Indeed，toanyobserverwithaheartitmusthavebeentouchingtoseeMarydrivenawayinthatmagnificentblackcarriage，staringwithagonisedhostilityinfrontofherthroughherlargespectacles，compelledtobalanceherselfexactlybetweenthemagnificentsunshadeofMrs。LePageandthesmallerbutalsomagnificentsunshadeofthelovelyCharlotte。Mrs。
Cole，glancinginthatdirection，mayhavefeltwithapangthatshewouldneverbeabletomakeherchildrenhandsomeandgayasshewouldliketodo——butitwascertainlyapangofonlyamoment’sduration。
ShewouldnothaveexchangedherMaryforawagon-loadofCharlottes。
AndJeremy，bumpingalonginthejingle，alsofeltthecontrast。WhycouldnotMarywearherstrawhatstraight，andwhymustshehaveelasticunderherchin？Whydidshelooksocrossandsostupid？Whydidshebotherhimsowithherworries？Charlottewouldneverworryhim。Shewouldjustsitthere，lookingbeautiful，withhergoldenhair，andblueeyesandpinkcheeks。NextweekwastobeMissJones’sbirthday，andinpreparationforthishehadboughtforherinPolchesterasilverthimble。HewonderedwhetherhewouldnotgiveCharlottethisthimbleinsteadofMissJones。HecouldgiveMissJonessomeoldthinghewouldfindsomewhere，orhewouldgooutandpickforhersomeflowers。Shewouldbepleasedwithanything。HewonderedwhatCharlottewouldsaywhenhegaveherthethimble。Shewouldlikeit，ofcourse。Shewouldsmile。Shewouldopenhereyesandlookathim。Fortunatelyhehadthethimbleevennowinhispocket。Hehadboughtitwhenhewaswearingthissamesuit。Yes，hewouldgiveittoher。AshedecidedthishelookedatMissJonesguiltily，butshewasmakingsuchoddfacesasshesquintedtoescapefromthesunthathedidnotfeelashamed。
TheycametothatsteephilljustbeyondGarthwoods，andBob，ofcourse，refusedtomove。ThesuperbLePageaffairdashedpastthem，shoutedsomethingatthem，anddisappearedoverthebrowofthehill。ThelastthingtobeseenofthemwerethefiercedespairingeyesoftheimprisonedMary。AstrangesensationofreliefinstantlysettledupontheColes。Foramomenttheywerealone；theybeganslowlytowalkupthehill，draggingwiththemthereluctantBob。
Aboutthemwaspeace，absoluteandunstained。Thehardglitterofthedayshoneuponthewhiteroad，butbehindthemthewoodwasdarkandcool，agreencloudagainstthesky。Behindthesteephedgestheharvestersweremoving。Intheairalarkwassinging，andalongtheditchattheroadsideatinystreamtumbled。Andbeyondthesesoundstherewasavasttranquilsilence。
TheColesmovedupthehillveryslowly，onlyHamletracingaheadtofindspotsofshadowwherehemightliedownandpant。Theywouldnotconfesstothemselvesthatthispromisedtobethehappiestmomentoftheirday。Theywentbravelyforward。
OnthebendofthehilltheLePageswerewaitingforthem。WhatMrs。Colehadforeseenhadintruthoccurred。TheLePagecarriagewouldnotgodowntheRafielLane。No，itwould，not……Nothingwouldinduceitto。
“James，“saidMrs。LePagetoherstoutanddisdainfulattendant。
“Nothing，ma’am，“saidJames。
“Dearme，dearme，“saidMrs。LePage。“Wellthen，wemustwalk，“
saidthedeepdespairingvoiceofthePirateKing。
Andwalktheydid。
Thatwalkwas，asMrs。Coleafterwardssaid，“apity，“becauseitdestroyedtheLePagetemperswhenthedaywasscarcelybegun。Mr。
LePagewas，itwasquicklydescried，notintendedforwalking。
Strongandfiercethoughheseemed，heatinstantlycrumpledhimup。
Theperfectcreaseofhiswhitetrousersvanished，hiscollarwasnolongerspotless，littlebeadsofperspirationappearedalmostatonceonhisforehead，andhisblackbearddrippedmoisture。Mrs。LePage，withherskirtsraised，walkedasthoughshewerepassingthroughtheValleyofDestruction；everystepwasariskandadanger，andthedifficultyofholdingherskirtsandhersunshadeatthesametime，andofseeingthathershoeswerenotsoiledandherhatnotcaughtbyanoffendingboughgaveherfaceanexpressionofdesperatedespair。
Therewas，unfortunately，onespotverydeepdowninthelanewherethegroundwasneverdryevenintheheightofthehottestsummer。
Alittlestreamranhereacrossthepath，andthegroundoneithersidewassoftandsodden。Mrs。LePage，strugglingtoavoidanoverhangingbranch，steppedintothemud；onefootstuckthere，anditneededMr。Cole’sstrongarmtopullheroutofit。
“Charlotte！Charlotte！“shecried。“Don’tletCharlottestepintothat！Mr。Cole！Mr。Cole！Ichargeyou——mychild！“Charlottewasconveyedacross，butthedamagewasdone。OneofMrs。LePage’sbeautifulshoeswasthickwithmud。
When，therefore，theparty，climbingoutoftheLane，camesuddenlyuponthepathleadingdowntotheCove，withthesea，likeabluecloudinfrontofthem，nooneexclaimedattheview。Itwasaverybeautifulview——oneofthefinestofitskindintheUnitedKingdom，thehighrocksclosingintheCoveandthegreenhillsclosingintherocks。OnthehilltotherightwastheRafielOldChurch，withitsgraveyardthatrantotheveryedgeofthecliff，andbehindtheCovewasastreamandagreenorchardandalittlewood。ThesandoftheCovewasbrightgold，andthelowrockstoeithersideofitwereadarkred——thehandsomestplaceintheworld，withthewatersoclearthatyoucouldseedown，fardown，intogreencavernslacedwithsilversand。Unfortunately，atthemomentwhentheColesandtheirfriendsbeheldit，itwasblazinginthesun；soonthesunwouldpassand，duringthewholeafternoon，halfofitatleastwouldlieinshadow，buttheLePagescouldnotbeexpectedtothinkofthat。
ThebasketwasunloadedfromthejingleandcarrieddowntothebeachbyMr。ColeandJim。Jeremy，findinghimselfatthesideofthelovelyCharlotte，wasconvulsedwithshyness，themorethatheknewthattheunhappyMarywaslisteningwithjealousears。
Charlotte，walkinglikeAgag，“delicately，“hadapiteousexpressioninhereyesasthoughshewerebeingledtothetorture。
Jeremycoughedandbegan：“Wealwayscomehereeveryyear。Don’tyoulikeit？“
“Yes，“shesaidmiserably。
“Andwepaddleandbathe。Doyoulikebathing？“
“Goingintothesea？“
“Yes。“
“Oh，no！MothersaysImustn’t，becauseit’llhurtmyhair。Doyoulikemyhair？“
“Yes，“saidJeremy，blushingatsodirectaninvitationtocompliment。
“MothersaysI’vegottobeverycarefulofmyhairbecauseit’smychiefbeauty。“
“Yes，“saidJeremy。
“Ihaveamaid，Alice，andshebrushesawholehoureverymorningandawholehoureveryevening。“
“Don’tyougetverytired？“askedJeremy。“IknowIshould。“
“Mothersaysifyouhavesuchbeautifulhairyoumusttaketroublewithit，“Charlottegravelyreplied。
HervoicewassolikethevoiceofaparrotthatJeremy’sgrandmotherhadoncepossessedthatitdidn’tseemasthoughahumanbeingwasspeakingatall。Theywerenearthebeachnowandcouldseetheblueslippingin，turningintowhitebubbles，thenslippingoutagain。
“Doyoulikemyfrock？“saidCharlotte。
“Yes，“saidJeremy。
“ItwasboughtinLondon。AllmyclothesareboughtinLondon。“
“Mary’sandHelen’saren’t，“saidJeremywithsomefaintideaofprotectinghissisters。“They’reboughtinPolchester。“
“Mothersays，“saidCharlotte，“thatifyou’renotprettyitdoesn’tmatterwhereyoubuyyourclothes。“
Theyarrivedonthebeachandstaredaboutthem。ItbecameatonceagreatquestionastowhereMrs。LePagewouldsit。Shecouldnotsitonthesandwhichlookeddamp，norequally，ofcourse，onarockthatwasspikyandhard。Whattodowithher？Shestoodinthemiddleofthebeach，stillholdingupherskirts，gazingdesperatelyabouther，lookingfirstatonespotandthenatanother。
“Oh，dear，theheat！“sheexclaimed。“Istherenoshadeanywhere？
Perhapsinthatfarm-houseoverthere……“ItwasprobableenoughthatnomemberoftheColefamilywouldhavemindedbanishingMrs。
LePageintothefarmhouse，butitwouldhavemeantthatthewholepartymustaccompanyher。Thatwasimpossible。Theyhadcomeforapicnicandapicnictheywouldhave。
Mrs。Colewatched，withgrowingagitation，thewholesituation。Shesawfromherhusband’sfacethathewasrapidlylosinghistemper，andshehadlearnt，aftermanyexperiences，thatwhenhelosthistemperhewascapableofanything。Thatdoesnotmean，ofcourse，thatheeverwasangrytotheextentofswearingorstrikingoutwithhisfists——no，hesimplygrewsadder，andsadder，andsadder，andthismelancholyhadawayofreducingtodespairallthepeoplewithwhomhehappenedtobeatthetime。
“Whatdoeseveryonesaytoourhavinglunchnow？“criedMrs。Colecheerfully。“It’safterone，andI’msureeveryone’shungry。“
Noonesaidanything，sopreparationswerebegun。AminutepieceofshadewasfoundforMrs。LePage，andhereshesatonaflatpieceofrockwithherskirtsdrawncloseaboutherasthoughshewereafraidofratsorcrabs。Atableclothwaslaidonthesandandtheprovisionsspreadout——pastiesforeverybody，egg-sandwiches，seed-
cake，andjam-puffs——andgingerbeer。Itlookedafinefeastwhenitwasallthere，andMrs。Cole，asshegavethefinaltouchtoitbyplacingadrinkingglasscontainingtworedrose-budsinthemiddle，feltproudofhereffortsandhopedthatafteralltheaffairmightpassoffbravely。Butalas，howeasilytheproudestplansfalltotheground。
“Ihope，Alice，youhaven’tforgottenthesalt！“