“No，“sheanswered，withalittleshiver。“He’sugly。“
“Heisn’tugly，“Jeremyreturnedindignantly。“Heisn’tperhapstheverybestbreed，butUncleSamuelsaysthatthatdoesn’tmatterifhe’sclever。He’sbetterthananyotherdog。Ilovehimmorethananybody。Heisn’tugly！“
“Heis，“criedCharlottewithakindofwail。“Oh！Iwanttogohome。“
“Well，youcan’tgohome，“heansweredherfiercely。“Soyouneedn’tthinkaboutit。“
Theycametothelittlepools，threeofthem，nowclearascrystal，blueontheirsurface，withgreendepthsandredshelvingrock。
“Nowyousitthere，“hesaidcheerfully。“Noonewilltouchyou。Thecrabswon’tgetatyou。“
Helookedabouthimandnoticedwithsurprisewherehewas。HewassittingonthefarthercorneroftheverybeachwheretheScarletAdmiralhadlandedwithhismen。Itwasouttherebeyondthatbendofrockthatthewonderfulshiphadrode，withitsgoldandsilk，itsjewelledmastsanditsglitteringboard。Directlyoppositetohimwasthelittlegreenpaththatledupthehill，andaboveittheveryfield——FarmerEde’sfield！
Foralong，longtimetheysatthereinsilence。HeforgotCharlotteinhisinterestoverhisdiscovery，staringabouthimandwatchinghowquicklytheAugustafternoonwaslosingitsheatandcolour，sothatalreadyalittlecoldautumnalwindwasplayingaboutthesand，thecolourswerebeingdrawnfromthesky，andagreywebwasslowlypulledacrossthesea。
“Now，“hesaidcheerfullyatlast，toCharlotte，“I’lllookforthecrabs。“
“Ihatecrabs，“shesaid。“Iwanttogohome。“
“Youcan’tgohome，“heansweredfuriously。“What’sthegoodofsayingthatoverandoveragain？Youaren’tgoingyet，soit’snousesayingyouare。“
“You’reahorridlittleboy，“shebroughtoutwithakindofinanimatesob。
Hedidnotreplytothat；hewasstilltryingtobehavelikeagentleman。Howcouldheeverhavelikedher？Why，herhairwasnotsomuchafterall。Whatwashairwhenyoucometothinkofit？Marygotonquitewellwithhers，uglythoughitwas。Shewasstupid，stupid，stupid！Shewaslikesomeonedead。Ashesearchedforthecrabsthatweren’ttherehefelthistempergrowing。Soonhewouldleadherbacktohermotherandleaveherthereandneverseeheragain。
Butthiswasnottheclimaxoftheafternoon。
Whenhelookedupfromgazingintothepoolthewholeworldseemedtohavechanged。Hewasstilldazzledperhapsbythereflectionofthewaterinhiseyes，andyetitwasnotaltogetherthat。Itwasnotaltogetherbecausethedaywasslippingfromafternoonintoevening。
Thelazyrippleofthewaterasitslutchedupthesandandthenbroke，theshadowsthatwerecreepingfartherandfartherfromrocktorock，thegreenlightthatpushedupfromthehorizonintothefaintblue，thegreywebofthesea，thethickgatheringofthehillsastheycreptmorecloselyaboutthelittledarkeningbeach……itwasnoneofthesethings。
HebeganhurriedlytotellCharlotteabouttheScarletAdmiral。Evenashetoldherhewashimselfcaughtintotheexcitementofthenarration。Heforgother；hedidnotseeherwhitecheeks，hermouthopenwithterror，anexpressionnewtoher，thatherfacehadneverknownbefore，stealingintohereyes。HetoldherhowtheFoolhadseentheship，howtheAdmiralhadlanded，thenlefthismenonthebeach，howhehadclimbedthelittlegreenpath，howtheyoungmanhadfollowedhim，howtheyhadfought，howtheyoungmanhadfallen。
Whatwasthat？Jeremyjumpedfromhisrock。“Isay，didyouhearanything？“
AndthatwasenoughforCharlotte。Withonescream，ascreamsuchasshehadneverutteredinherlifebefore，sueturned，andthen，runningasindeedshehadneverrunbefore，shestumbled，halffell，stumbled，finallyranasthoughthewholeworldofherghostswasbehindher。Herscreamsweresopiercingthattheymaywellhavestartled，thevillagersofRafiel。
Jeremyfollowedher，buthismindwasnotwithher。Washegoingtoseesomething？Whatwasit？Whowasit？
Thentheawfulcatastrophethatfinishedtheafternoonoccurred。
Turningthecorneroftherock，Charlottemissedherfootingandfellstraightintoapool。Jeremy，MaryandHelenwereuponheralmostasshefell。Theydraggedherout，butalas！whatasightwasthere！InsteadofthebeautifulandmagnificentCharlottetherewasabedraggledanddirtylittlegirl。
Butalso，insteadofaninanimateandlifelessdoll，therewasatlastahumanbeing，aterrifiedsoul。
Thescenethatfollowedpassesallpowerofdescription。Mrs。LePagewailedlikealostspirit；Mr。LePagewassorudetoMr。Colethatitmightconfidentlybesaidthatthosetwogentlemenwouldneverspeaktooneanotheragain。Mrs。Cole，dismayedthoughshewas，hadsomefatalisticconsolationthatshehadknownfromthefirstthatthepicnicwouldbeamostdreadfulfailureandthattheworsthadoccurred；therewasnomoretocome。
EveryonewastoodeeplyoccupiedtoscoldJeremy。Theyallmoveduptothefarm，Charlottebehavingmoststrangely，evenstrikinghermotherandcrying：“Letmego！Letmego！Idon’twanttobeclean！
I’mfrightened！I’mfrightened！“
Jeremyhungbehindtheothers。Atthebottomofthelittlelanehestoodandwaited。Wasthereafigurecomingupthroughthedusk？Didsomeonepasshim？Whydidhesuddenlyfeelnolongerafraid，butonlyreassuredandwiththestrangestcertaintythatthelane，thebeach，thefieldbelongedtohimnow？Hewouldcomethereandlivewhenhegrewup。Hewouldcomeoften。HadtheScarletAdmiralpassedhim？IfnottheScarletAdmiral，thentheother。
Theseapicnichad，afterall，beennotquiteamisfortune。
Jeremyhadbeenmadefreeoftheland。
AndCharlotte？Charlottehadbeenwokenup，andneverwouldgotosleepagain。
CHAPTERX
MARY
I
MaryColehadbeen，allherlife，thatthingbelovedofthesentimentalnovelist，amisunderstoodchild。ShewastheonlymisunderstoodmemberoftheColefamily，andshewasmisunderstood，asisveryoftenthecase，inalargemeasurebecauseshewassoplain。Hadshebeengood-lookingasHelen，orindependentasJeremy，shewouldhaveeitherattractedtheworldingeneral，orhavebeenindifferentastowhethersheattracteditornot。Asitwas，shelongedtoattracteveryone，and，intruth，attractednobody。Shemighthavefoundconsolationinbooksorherownhighly-colouredimaginationshaditnotbeenfortheburningpassionswhichsheformed，ataveryearlyage，forlivingpeople。ForsomeyearsnowherlifehadcentredroundherbrotherJeremy。HadtheColesbeenanobservantfamilytheymight，perhaps，havefoundsomepathosinthewayinwhichMary，withherpalesallowcomplexion，herpear-shapedfacewithitsdull，greyeyes，herenormousglasses，herlankycolourlesshair，andherthin，bonyfigure，gazedathermasculineandindependentbrother。
UncleSamuelmighthavenoticed，buthewasoccupiedwithhispainting。Fortheresttheywerenotobservant。Marywasonlysevenyearsofage，butshehadthecapacityforbeinghurtofapersonofthirty。Shewashurtbyeverythingandeverybody。Whensomebodysaid：“Now，Mary，hurryup。You’realwayssoslow，“shewashurt。IfHelentoldherthatshewasselfish，shewashurt，andwouldsitwonderingwhethershewasselfishorno。IfMrs。Colesaidthatshemustbrushherhairmorecarefullyshewashurt，andwhenJeremysaidanythingsharptohershewasinagony。Shediscoveredveryquicklythatnoonecaredforheragonies。TheColeswereaplain，matter-of-factrace，andhadtheday’sworktofinish。Theyhadnointentionofthinkingtoomuchoftheirchildren’sfeelings。Thirtyyearsagothatwasnotsopopularasitisnow。Meanwhile，herdevotiontoherbrothergrewwitheverymonthofherlife。Shethoughthim，inallhonesty，themostmiraculousofallhumanbeings。Therewasmoreinherworshipthanmeredog-likefidelity。
Sheadoredhimforreasonsthatwererealandtrue；forhisindependence，hisobstinacy，hissenseoffun，hissudden，unexpectedkindnesses，hissuddenhelplessness，andaboveall，forhisbravery。Heseemedtoherthebravestheroinallhistory，andshefeltitthemorebecauseshewasherselfcompactofeveryfearandterrorknowntoman。Itwasnotenoughforher，theordinarypanicthatbelongstoallhumanlifeateverystageofitsprogress。
Shefearedeverythingandeverybody，andonlyhidherfearbyapersistentcoverofalmostobstinatestupidity，whichdeceived，tosomeextent，herrelations，butneverinanydegreeherself。Sheknewthatshewasplain，awkwardandhesitating，butsheknewalsothatshewasclever。SheknewthatshecoulddoeverythingtwiceasfastasJeremyandHelen，thatshewasoftensoimpatientoftheirslowprogressatlessonsthatshewouldbeatherfootonthegroundinakindofagonisedimpatience。Sheknewthatshewasclever，andshewonderedsometimeswhyherclevernessdidnotgivehermoreadvantage。Why，forinstance，shouldHelen’sgoodlooksbenoticedatoncebyeveryvisitorandherownclevernessbeunnoticed？
Certainly，onoccasions，hermotherwouldsay：“AndMary？Idon’tthinkyou’vemetMary。Comeandsay，howdoyoudo，Mary。Maryisthecleveroneofthefamily！“butitwasalwayssaidinadeprecating，apologetictone，whichmadeMaryhangherheadandhatebothherselfandhermother。
ShetoldherselfstoriesofthetimeswhenJeremywouldhavetodependentirelyuponthesplendourofherbrainsforhisdeliveryfromsomehorror——death，tortureordisgrace。Atpresentthosetimeswere，shewasboundtoconfesstoherself，verydistant。Hedependeduponnooneforanything；hecouldnotbesaidtoneedMary’sassistanceinanyparticular。Andwiththisburningdesireofherscame，ofcourse，jealousy。Therearesomehappy，easynaturestowhomjealousyis，throughlife，unknown。Theyaretobeenvied。
Jealousyinagrown-uphumanbeingisbad；inachilditisterrible。HadyoutoldMrs。Cole——goodmotherthoughshewas——thatherdaughterMary，agedseven，sufferedtorturesthroughjealousy，shewouldhaveassuredyouthatitwasnot，inreality，jealousy，butratherindigestion，andthatalittlemedicinewouldputitright。
Marywasquitehelpless。Whatisachildtodoifsheisjealous？
Otherchildrendonotunderstandher，herelderslaughather。Mary，withawisdomgreatlybeyondheryears，realisedveryquicklythatthiswassomesortofhorribledisease，withwhichshemustwrestlealone。Aboveall，shemustneverallowJeremytoknowanythingaboutit。Hewas，ofcourse，sublimelyunawareofthematter；heknewthatMarywassillysometimes，butheattributedthattohersex；hewentonhisway，happilyindifferentwhetheranyonecaredforhimorno……
Marysufferedagonieswhen，assometimeshappened，JeremysatwithhisarmroundHelen’sneckandhischeekupagainsthers。Shesufferedwhen，inamoodoftempestuousaffectiontothewholeworld，hekissedMissJones。Sheevensufferedwhenhesatathismother’sfeetwhilstsheread“TheDoveintheEagle’sNest，“or“EngeltheFearless。“
Mostofall，however，shesufferedoverHamlet。SheknewthatatthispresenttimeHamletwastheonecreatureforwhomJeremypassionatelycared。Helovedhismother，butwiththelovethatcustomandhabithastamedandmodified，althoughsinceMrs。Cole’sillnessintheearlysummerhehadcaredforherinamannermoredemonstrativeandopenlyaffectionate。Nevertheless，itwasHamletwhocommandedJeremy’sheart，andMaryknewit。MattersweremadeworsebytheundoubtedtruththatHamletdidnotcareverymuchforMary——thatis，henevergaveanysignsofcaring，andveryoftenwalkedoutoftheroomwhenshecameintoit。MarycouldhavecaredforthedogasenthusiasticallyasJeremy——shewasalwayssentimentalaboutanimals——butnowshewasshutoutfromtheiralliance，andsheknewthatwhenshecameuptothemandbegantopatorstrokeHamlet，JeremywasannoyedandHamlet’sskinwriggledinakindofretreatingfashionunderherfingers。Wisepeoplewillsaythatitisimpossibleforthistobeaserioustroubletoachild。ItwasincreasinglyserioustoMary。