”No；butIexpecthewillbesoon。””Then！”criedVal，anddivingforward，heseizedherhand。Shetriedtowithdrawit，failed，gaveuptheattempt，andlookedathimwistfully。”Firstofall，”hesaid，”Iwanttotellyousomethingaboutmyfamily。MyDad，youknow，isn’taltogether——Imean，he’sleftmymotherandthey’retryingtodivorcehim；sothey’veorderedhimtocomeback，yousee。You’llseethatinthepaperto-morrow。”Hereyesdeepenedincolourandfearfulinterest；herhandsqueezedhis。ButthegamblerinValwasrousednow，andhehurriedon：
’Ofcoursethere’snothingverymuchatpresent，buttherewillbe，Iexpect，beforeit’sover；divorcesuitsarebeastly，youknow。I
wantedtotellyou，because——because——yououghttoknow——if——”andhebegantostammer，gazingathertroubledeyes，”if——ifyou’regoingtobeadarlingandloveme，Holly。Iloveyou——everso；andIwanttobeengaged。”Hehaddoneitinamannersoinadequatethathecouldhavepunchedhisownhead；anddroppingonhisknees，hetriedtogetnearertothatsoft，troubledface。”Youdoloveme——don’tyou?Ifyoudon’tI……”Therewasamomentofsilenceandsuspense，soawfulthathecouldhearthesoundofamowing-
machinefaroutonthelawnpretendingtherewasgrasstocut。
Thensheswayedforward；herfreehandtouchedhishair，andhegasped：”Oh，Holly！”
Heranswerwasverysoft：”Oh，Val！”
Hehaddreamedofthismoment，butalwaysinanimperativemood，asthemasterfulyounglover，andnowhefelthumble，touched，trembly。Hewasafraidtostiroffhiskneeslestheshouldbreakthespell；lest，ifhedid，sheshouldshrinkanddenyherownsurrender——sotremulouswassheinhisgrasp，withhereyelidsclosedandhislipsnearingthem。Hereyesopened，seemedtoswimalittle；hepressedhislipstohers。Suddenlyhesprangup；
therehadbeenfootsteps，asortofstartledgrunt。Helookedround。Noone！Butthelongcurtainswhichbarredofftheouterhallwerequivering。”MyGod！Whowasthat?”
Hollytoowasonherfeet。”Jolly，Iexpect，”shewhispered。
Valclenchedfistsandresolution。”Allright！”hesaid，”Idon’tcareabitnowwe’reengaged，”andstridingtowardsthecurtains，hedrewthemaside。ThereatthefireplaceinthehallstoodJolly，withhisbackelaboratelyturned。Valwentforward。Jollyfacedroundonhim。”Ibegyourpardonforhearing，”hesaid。
Withthebestintentionsintheworld，Valcouldnothelpadmiringhimatthatmoment；hisfacewasclear，hisvoicequiet，helookedsomehowdistinguished，asifactinguptoprinciple。”Well！”Valsaidabruptly，”it’snothingtoyou。””Oh！”saidJolly；”youcomethisway，”andhecrossedthehall。
Valfollowed。Atthestudydoorhefeltatouchonhisarm；
Holly’svoicesaid：”I’mcomingtoo。””No，”saidJolly。”Yes，”saidHolly。
Jollyopenedthedoor，andtheyallthreewentin。Onceinthelittleroom，theystoodinasortoftriangleonthreecornersofthewornTurkeycarpet；awkwardlyupright，notlookingateachother，quiteincapableofseeinganyhumourinthesituation。
Valbrokethesilence。”HollyandIareengaged。”，Jollysteppedbackandleanedagainstthelintelofthewindow。”Thisisourhouse，”hesaid；”I’mnotgoingtoinsultyouinit。
Butmyfather’saway。I’minchargeofmysister。You’vetakenadvantageofme。”Ididn’tmeanto，”saidValhotly。”Ithinkyoudid，”saidJolly。”Ifyouhadn’tmeantto，you’dhavespokentome，orwaitedformyfathertocomeback。””Therewerereasons，”saidVal。”Whatreasons?””Aboutmyfamily——I’vejusttoldher。Iwantedhertoknowbeforethingshappen。”
Jollysuddenlybecamelessdistinguished。”You’rekids，”hesaid，”andyouknowyouare。”Iamnotakid，”saidVal。”Youare——you’renottwenty。””Well，whatareyou?””Iamtwenty，”saidJolly。”Onlyjust；anyway，I’masgoodamanasyou。
Jolly’sfacecrimsoned，thenclouded。Somestrugglewasevidentlytakingplaceinhim；andValandHollystaredathim，soclearlywasthatstrugglemarked；theycouldevenhearhimbreathing。Thenhisfaceclearedupandbecameoddlyresolute。”We’llseethat，”hesaid。”IdareyoutodowhatI’mgoingtodo。””Dareme?”
Jollysmiled。”Yes，”hesaid，”dareyou；andIknowverywellyouwon’t。”
AstabofmisgivingshotthroughVal；thiswasridingveryblind。”Ihaven’tforgottenthatyou’reafire-eater，”saidJollyslowly，”andIthinkthat’saboutallyouare；orthatyoucalledmeapro-Boer。”
Valheardagaspabovethesoundofhisownhardbreathing，andsawHolly’sfacepokedalittleforward，verypale，withbigeyes。”Yes，”wentonJollywithasortofsmile，”weshallsoonsee。I’mgoingtojointheImperialYeomanry，andIdareyoutodothesame，Mr。ValDartie。”
Val’sheadjerkedonitsstem。Itwaslikeablowbetweentheeyes，soutterlyunthoughtof，soextremeanduglyinthemidstofhisdreaming；andhelookedatHollywitheyesgrownsuddenly，touchinglyhaggard。”Sitdown！”saidJolly。”Takeyourtime！Thinkitoverwell。”
Andhehimselfsatdownonthearmofhisgrandfather’schair。
Valdidnotsitdown；hestoodwithhandsthrustdeepintohisbreeches’pockets-handsclenchedandquivering。Thefullawfulnessofthisdecisiononewayortheotherknockedathismindwithdoubleknocksasofanangrypostman。Ifhedidnottakethat’dare’hewasdisgracedinHolly’seyes，andintheeyesofthatyoungenemy，herbruteofabrother。Yetifhetookit，ah！thenallwouldvanish——herface，hereyes，herhair，herkissesjustbegun！”Takeyourtime，”saidJollyagain；”Idon’twanttobeunfair。”
AndtheybothlookedatHolly。Shehadrecoiledagainstthebookshelvesreachingtotheceiling；herdarkheadleanedagainstGibbon’sRomanEmpire，hereyesinasortofsoftgreyagonywerefixedonVal。Andhe，whohadnotmuchgiftofinsight，hadsuddenlyagleamofvision。Shewouldbeproudofherbrother——
thatenemy！Shewouldbeashamedofhim！Hishandscameoutofhispocketsasifliftedbyaspring。”Allright！”hesaid。”Done！”
Holly’sface-oh！itwasqueer！Hesawherflush，startforward。
Hehaddonetherightthing——herfacewasshiningwithwistfuladmiration。Jollystoodupandmadealittlebowaswhoshouldsay：’You’vepassed。’”To-morrow，then，”hesaid，”we’llgotogether。”
Recoveringfromtheimpetuswhichhadcarriedhimtothatdecision，Vallookedathimmaliciouslyfromunderhislashes。’Allright，’
hethought，’onetoyou。Ishallhavetojoin——butI’llgetbackonyousomehow。’Andhesaidwithdignity：”Ishallbeready。””We’llmeetatthemainRecruitingOffice，then，”saidJolly，”attwelveo’clock。”And，openingthewindow，hewentoutontotheterrace，conformingtothecreedwhichhadmadehimretirewhenhesurprisedtheminthehall。
TheconfusioninthemindofValthusleftalonewithherforwhomhehadpaidthissuddenpricewasextreme。Themoodof’showing-
off’wasstill，however，uppermost。Onemustdothewretchedthingwithanair。”Weshallgetplentyofridingandshooting，anyway，”hesaid；”that’sonecomfort。”Anditgavehimasortofgrimpleasuretohearthesighwhichseemedtocomefromthebottomofherheart。”Oh！thewar’llsoonbeover，”hesaid；”perhapsweshan’tevenhavetogoout。Idon’tcare，exceptforyou。”Hewouldbeoutofthewayofthatbeastlydivorce。Itwasanill-wind！Hefeltherwarmhandslipintohis。Jollythoughthehadstoppedtheirlovingeachother，didhe?Heheldhertightlyroundthewaist，lookingathersoftlythroughhislashes，smilingtocheerherup，promisingtocomedownandseehersoon，feelingsomehowsixinchestallerandmuchmoreincommandofherthanhehadeverdaredfeelbefore。Manytimeshekissedherbeforehemountedandrodebacktotown。So，swiftly，ontheleastprovocation，doesthepossessiveinstinctflourishandgrow。
CHAPTERIX
DINNERATJAMES’
DinnerpartieswerenotnowgivenatJames’inParkLane——toeveryhousethemomentcomeswhenMasterorMistressisnolonger’uptoit’；nomorecanninecoursesbeservedtotwentymouthsabovetwentyfinewhiteexpanses；nordoesthehouseholdcatanylongerwonderwhysheissuddenlyshutup。
SowithsomethinglikeexcitementEmily——whoatseventywouldstillhavelikedalittlefeastandfashionnowandthen——ordereddinnerforsixinsteadoftwo，herselfwroteanumberofforeignwordsoncards，andarrangedtheflowers——mimosafromtheRiviera，andwhiteRomanhyacinthsnotfromRome。Therewouldonlybe，ofcourse，Jamesandherself，Soames，Winifred，Val，andImogen——butshelikedtopretendalittleanddallyinimaginationwiththegloryofthepast。ShesodressedherselfthatJamesremarked：”Whatareyouputtingonthatthingfor?You’llcatchcold。”
ButEmilyknewthatthenecksofwomenareprotectedbyloveofshining，untofourscoreyears，andsheonlyanswered：”LetmeputyouononeofthosedickiesIgotyou，James；thenyou’llonlyhavetochangeyourtrousers，andputonyourvelvetcoat，andthereyou’llbe。Vallikesyoutolooknice。”