musttrytoearnyourbetteropinion。
Hamelreadsteadilyfortheremainderofthemorning。Itwaspastoneo’clockwhenherosestifflyfromhisseatamongthesandknollsand，strollingbacktotheTower，openedthedoorandentered。Theclothwaslaidforluncheoninthelittlesitting-room，buttherewerenosignsofHannahCox。Hepassedonintothekitchenandcametoasuddenstandstill。Oncemorethememoryofhisownworkpassedawayfromhim。Oncemorehewasbackagainamongthatqueer，cloudedtangleofstrangesuspicions，ofthrilling，half-formedfears，whichhadassailedhimattimeseversincehisarrivalatSt，David’s。Hestoppedquiteshort。Thewordswhichrosetohislipsdiedaway。Hefeltthebreathless，compellingneedforsilenceandgrewtenseintheefforttomakenosound。
HannahCoxwaskneelingonthestonefloor。Herearwasclosetothecrackofthedoorwhichledintotheboat-house。Herface，halfturnedfromit，wassetinastrange，concentratedpassionoflistening；herlipswereparted，hereyeshalfclosed。ShetooknomorenoticeofHamelorhisarrivalthanifhehadbeensomeuselesspieceoffurniture。Everyfacultyseemedtobeabsorbedinthatoneintenseeffortoflistening。Therewasnoneedofherout-stretchedfinger。Hamelfellinatoncewithamoodsomesmeric。
He，too，listened。Thesmallclockwhichshehadbroughtwithherfromthevillagetickedawayuponthemantelpiece。Thefullseafellwithplacidsoftnessuponthehighbeachoutside。Someslightnoiseofcookingcamefromthestove。Saveforthesethingstherewassilence。Yet，foraspaceoftimewhichHamelcouldneverhavemeasured，theybothlistened。Whenatlastthewomanrosetoherfeet，Hamel，findingwordsatlast，wassurprisedtofindthathisthroatwasdry。
“Whatisit，Mrs。Cox？“heasked。“Whywereyoulisteningthere？“
Herfacewasabsolutelyexpressionless。Shewasbusyingherselfnowwithasmallsaucepan，andherbackwasturnedtowardshim。
“Ispendmylife，sir，“shesaid，“listeningandwaiting。Oneneverknowswhentheendmaycome。“
“Buttheboat-house，“Hamelobjected。“Noonehasbeenintherehismorning，havethey？“
“Whocantell？“sheanswered。“Hecouldgoanywherewhenhechose，orhowhechose-throughthekeyhole，ifhewanted。“
“Butwhylisten？“Hamelpersisted。“Thereisnothingintherenowbutsomeoddsandendsofmachinery。“
Sheturnedfromthefireandlookedathimforamoment。Hereyeswerecolourless，hertoneunemotional。
“Maybe！There’snoharminlistening。“
“Didyouhearanythingwhichmadeyouwanttolisten？“
“Whocantell？“sheanswered。“Awomanwholiveswell-nighalone，asIlive，inaquietplace，hearsthingssooftenthatotherfolkneverlistento。There’salwayssomethinginmyears，nightorday。
SometimesIamnotsurewhetherit’sinthisworldortheother。Itwaslikethatwithmejustthen。ItwasforthatreasonIlistened。
Yourluncheon’sready，sir。“
Hamelwalkedthoughtfullybackintohissitting-room。HeseatedhimselfbeforeaspotlessclothandwatchedHannahCoxspreadouthiswell-cooked，cleanly-servedmeal。
“Ifthere’sanythingyouwant，sir，“shesaid，“Ishallhearyouataword。Thekitchendoorisopen。“
“Onemoment，Mrs。Cox。“
Shelingeredtherepatiently，withthetrayinherhand。
“Therewassomesound，“Hamelcontinued，“perhapsarealsound，perhapsafancy，whichmadeyougodownonyourkneesinthekitchen。
Tellmewhatitwas。“
“ThesoundIalwayshear，sir，“sheansweredquietly。“Ihearitinthenight，andIhearitwhenIstandbytheseaandlookout。I
havehearditforsomanyyearsthatwhocantellwhetheritcomesfromthisworldortheother-thecryofmenwhodie！“
Shepassedout。Hamellookedafterher，foramoment，likeamaninadream，Inhisfancyhecouldseeherbackagainoncemoreinthekitchen，kneelingonthestonefloor，-listening！
AcoldtwilighthadfallenuponthelandwhenHamellefttheTowerthateveningandwalkedbrisklyalongthefoot-waytotheHall。
Littlepatchesofmisthungoverthecreeks，theskywasalmostfrosty。ThelightsfromSt。David’sHallshonelikecheerfulbeaconsbeforehim。Hehastenedupthestonesteps，crossedtheterrace，andpassedintothehall。Aservantconductedhimatoncetothedrawing-room。Mrs。Fentolin，inapinkeveningdress，withapinkornamentinherhair，heldoutbothherhands。Inthebackground，Mr。Fentolin，inhisqueerly-cuteveningclothes，satwithfoldedarms，leaningbackinhiscarriage。Helistenedgrimlytohissister-in-lawasshestoodwithHamel’shandsinhers。
“MydearMr。Hamel！“sheexclaimed。“Howperfectlycharmingofyoutocomeupandrelievealittleoursadloneliness！Delightful，I
callit，ofyou。IwasjustsayingsotoMiles。“
Hamellookedaroundtheroom。Alreadyhisheartwasbeginningtosink。
“MissFentoliniswell，Ihope？“heasked。
“Well，butaverynaughtygirl，“hermotherdeclared。“IlethergotoLadySaxthorpe’stolunch，andnowwehavehadsimplythefirmestletterfromLadySaxthorpe。TheyinsistuponkeepingEsthertodineandsleep。Ihavehadtosendhereveningclothes，butyoucan’ttell，Mr。Hamel，howImissher。“
Hamel’sdisappointmentwasalittletooobvioustopassunnoticed。
Therewasashadeofannoyance，too，inhisface。Mr。Fentolinsmoothlyintervened。
“LetusbequitecandidwithMr。Hamel，dearFlorence，“hebegged。
“Ihavespokentomysister-in-lawandtoldherthesubstanceofourconversationthismorning，“heproceeded，wheelinghischairnearertoHamel。“Sheisthunderstruck。Shewishestoreflect，toconsider。Estherchancedtobeaway。Wehaveencouragedherabsenceforafewmorehours。“
“Ihope，Mrs，Fentolin，“Hamelsaidsimply，“thatyouwillgivehertome。Iamnotarichman，butIamfairlywelloff。IshouldbewillingtoliveexactlywhereEstherwishes，andIwoulddomybesttomakeherhappy。“
Mrs，Fentolinopenedherlipsonceandclosedthemagain。Shelaughedalittle-ahigh-pitched，semi-hystericallaugh。Thehandwhichgrippedherfanwasstrainingsothattheblueveinsstoodoutalmostlikewhipcord。
“Estherisveryyoung，Mr。Hamel。Wemusttalkthisover。Youhaveknownherforsuchaveryshorttime。“
Aservantannounceddinner，andHamelofferedhisarmtohishostess。
“IsGeraldaway，too？“heasked。
“Wedoindeedoweyouourapologies，“Mr。Fentolindeclared。
“GeraldisspendingacoupleofdaysattheDormyHouseatBrancaster-agolfarrangementmadesometimeback。“
“Hepromisedtoplaywithmeto-morrow，“Hamelremarkedthoughtfully。
“Hesaidnothingaboutgoingaway。“
“Ifearthatlikemostyoungmenofhisagehehaslittlememory，“
Mr。Fentolinsighed。“However，hewillbebackto-morroworthenextday。Ioweyoumyapologies，Mr。Hamel，forourlackofyoungpeople。Wemustdoourbesttoentertainourguest，Florence。Youmustbeatyourbest，dear。Youmusttellhimsomeofthosecapitalstoriesofyours。“
Mrs，Fentolinshiveredforamoment。Hamel，ashehandedhertoherplace，wasstruckbyastrangelookwhichshethrewuponhim，halffurtive，fullofpain。Herhandalmostclungtohis。Sheslippedalittle，andheheldhertightly。Thenhewassuchdenlyconsciousthatsomethinghardwasbeingpressedintohispalm。Hedrewhishandawayatonce。
“Youseemalittleunsteadythisevening，mydearFlorence，“Mr。
Fentolinremarked，peeringacrosstheroundtable。
Sheeyedhimnonchalantlyenough。
“Thefloorisslippery，“shesaid。“Iwasglad，foramoment，ofMr。Hamel’sstronghand。Wherearethosedearpuppies？Chow-Chow，“
shewenton，“comeandsitbyyourmistressatonce。“
Hamel’sfingersinsidehiswaistcoatpocketweresmoothingoutthecrumpledpieceofpaperwhichshehadpassedtohim。Soonhehaditquiteflat。Mrs，Fentolin，asthoughfreedfromsomeanxiety，chatteredawaygaily。
“Idon’tknowthatIshallapologisetoMr。Hamelatallfortheyoungpeoplebeingaway，“shedeclared。“Justfancywhatwehavesavedhimfrom-asolitarymealservedbyHannahCox！Doyouknowthattheysaysheishalf-witted，Mr。Hamel？“
“Sofar，shehaslookedaftermeverywell，“Hamelobserved。