Therewasapause。
　　“JenkinsonofCats——d’youstillkeepupwithhim？“askedAmbrose。
　　“Asmuchasoneeverdoes，“saidMr。Pepper。“Wemeetannually。
　　Thisyearhehashadthemisfortunetolosehiswife，whichmadeitpainful，ofcourse。“
　　“Verypainful，“Ridleyagreed。
　　“There’sanunmarrieddaughterwhokeepshouseforhim，Ibelieve，butit’sneverthesame，notathisage。“
　　Bothgentlemennoddedsagelyastheycarvedtheirapples。
　　“Therewasabook，wasn’tthere？“Ridleyenquired。
　　“There_was_abook，buttherenever_will_beabook，“saidMr。Pepperwithsuchfiercenessthatbothladieslookedupathim。
　　“Thereneverwillbeabook，becausesomeoneelsehaswrittenitforhim，“saidMr。Pepperwithconsiderableacidity。
　　“That’swhatcomesofputtingthingsoff，andcollectingfossils，andstickingNormanarchesonone’spigsties。“
　　“IconfessIsympathise，“saidRidleywithamelancholysigh。
　　“Ihaveaweaknessforpeoplewhocan’tbegin。“
　　“……Theaccumulationsofalifetimewasted，“continuedMr。pepper。
　　“Hehadaccumulationsenoughtofillabarn。“
　　“It’savicethatsomeofusescape，“saidRidley。“OurfriendMileshasanotherworkoutto-day。“
　　Mr。Peppergaveanacidlittlelaugh。“Accordingtomycalculations，“
　　hesaid，“hehasproducedtwovolumesandahalfannually，which，allowingfortimespentinthecradleandsoforth，showsacommendableindustry。“
　　“Yes，theoldMaster’ssayingofhimhasbeenprettywellrealised，“
　　saidRidley。
　　“Awaytheyhad，“saidMr。Pepper。“YouknowtheBrucecollection？——
　　notforpublication，ofcourse。“
　　“Ishouldsupposenot，“saidRidleysignificantly。“ForaDivinehewas——remarkablyfree。“
　　“ThePumpinNeville’sRow，forexample？“enquiredMr。Pepper。
　　“Precisely，“saidAmbrose。
　　Eachoftheladies，beingafterthefashionoftheirsex，highlytrainedinpromotingmen’stalkwithoutlisteningtoit，couldthink——abouttheeducationofchildren，abouttheuseoffogsirensinanopera——withoutbetrayingherself。OnlyitstruckHelenthatRachelwasperhapstoostillforahostess，andthatshemighthavedonesomethingwithherhands。
　　“Perhaps——？“shesaidatlength，uponwhichtheyroseandleft，vaguelytothesurpriseofthegentlemen，whohadeitherthoughtthemattentiveorhadforgottentheirpresence。
　　“Ah，onecouldtellstrangestoriesoftheolddays，“theyheardRidleysay，ashesankintohischairagain。Glancingback，atthedoorway，theysawMr。Pepperasthoughhehadsuddenlyloosenedhisclothes，andhadbecomeavivaciousandmaliciousoldape。
　　Windingveilsroundtheirheads，thewomenwalkedondeck。
　　Theywerenowmovingsteadilydowntheriver，passingthedarkshapesofshipsatanchor，andLondonwasaswarmoflightswithapaleyellowcanopydroopingaboveit。Therewerethelightsofthegreattheatres，thelightsofthelongstreets，lightsthatindicatedhugesquaresofdomesticcomfort，lightsthathunghighinair。Nodarknesswouldeversettleuponthoselamps，asnodarknesshadsettleduponthemforhundredsofyears。Itseemeddreadfulthatthetownshouldblazeforeverinthesamespot；
　　dreadfulatleasttopeoplegoingawaytoadventureuponthesea，andbeholdingitasacircumscribedmound，eternallyburnt，eternallyscarred。Fromthedeckoftheshipthegreatcityappearedacrouchedandcowardlyfigure，asedentarymiser。
　　Leaningovertherail，sidebyside，Helensaid，“Won’tyoubecold？“
　　Rachelreplied，“No……Howbeautiful！“sheaddedamomentlater。
　　Verylittlewasvisible——afewmasts，ashadowoflandhere，alineofbrilliantwindowsthere。Theytriedtomakeheadagainstthewind。
　　“Itblows——itblows！“gaspedRachel，thewordsrammeddownherthroat。
　　Strugglingbyherside，Helenwassuddenlyovercomebythespiritofmovement，andpushedalongwithherskirtswrappingthemselvesroundherknees，andbotharmstoherhair。Butslowlytheintoxicationofmovementdieddown，andthewindbecameroughandchilly。
　　Theylookedthroughachinkintheblindandsawthatlongcigarswerebeingsmokedinthedining-room；theysawMr。Ambrosethrowhimselfviolentlyagainstthebackofhischair，whileMr。Peppercrinkledhischeeksasthoughtheyhadbeencutinwood。
　　Theghostofaroaroflaughtercameouttothem，andwasdrownedatonceinthewind。Inthedryyellow-lightedroomMr。PepperandMr。Ambrosewereobliviousofalltumult；theywereinCambridge，anditwasprobablyabouttheyear1875。
　　“They’reoldfriends，“saidHelen，smilingatthesight。
　　“Now，istherearoomforustositin？“
　　Rachelopenedadoor。
　　“It’smorelikealandingthanaroom，“shesaid。Indeedithadnothingoftheshutstationarycharacterofaroomonshore。
　　Atablewasrootedinthemiddle，andseatswerestucktothesides。
　　Happilythetropicalsunshadbleachedthetapestriestoafadedblue-greencolour，andthemirrorwithitsframeofshells，theworkofthesteward’slove，whenthetimehungheavyinthesouthernseas，wasquaintratherthanugly。Twistedshellswithredlipslikeunicorn’shornsornamentedthemantelpiece，whichwasdrapedbyapallofpurpleplushfromwhichdependedacertainnumberofballs。
　　Twowindowsopenedontothedeck，andthelightbeatingthroughthemwhentheshipwasroastedontheAmazonshadturnedtheprintsontheoppositewalltoafaintyellowcolour，sothat“TheColiseum“
　　wasscarcelytobedistinguishedfromQueenAlexandraplayingwithherSpaniels。Apairofwickerarm-chairsbythefiresideinvitedonetowarmone’shandsatagratefullofgiltshavings；
　　agreatlampswungabovethetable——thekindoflampwhichmakesthelightofcivilisationacrossdarkfieldstoonewalkinginthecountry。
　　“It’soddthateveryoneshouldbeanoldfriendofMr。Pepper’s，“
　　Rachelstartednervously，forthesituationwasdifficult，theroomcold，andHelencuriouslysilent。
　　“Isupposeyoutakehimforgranted？“saidheraunt。
　　“He’slikethis，“saidRachel，lightingonafossilisedfishinabasin，anddisplayingit。
　　“Iexpectyou’retoosevere，“Helenremarked。
　　Rachelimmediatelytriedtoqualifywhatshehadsaidagainstherbelief。
　　“Idon’treallyknowhim，“shesaid，andtookrefugeinfacts，believingthatelderlypeoplereallylikethembetterthanfeelings。
　　SheproducedwhatsheknewofWilliamPepper。ShetoldHelenthathealwayscalledonSundayswhentheywereathome；heknewaboutagreatmanythings——aboutmathematics，history，Greek，zoology，economics，andtheIcelandicSagas。HehadturnedPersianpoetryintoEnglishprose，andEnglishproseintoGreekiambics；
　　hewasanauthorityuponcoins；and——oneotherthing——ohyes，shethoughtitwasvehiculartraffic。
　　Hewashereeithertogetthingsoutofthesea，ortowriteupontheprobablecourseofOdysseus，forGreekafterallwashishobby。
　　“I’vegotallhispamphlets，“shesaid。“Littlepamphlets。
　　Littleyellowbooks。“Itdidnotappearthatshehadreadthem。
　　“Hasheeverbeeninlove？“askedHelen，whohadchosenaseat。
　　Thiswasunexpectedlytothepoint。
　　“Hisheart’sapieceofoldshoeleather，“Racheldeclared，droppingthefish。Butwhenquestionedshehadtoownthatshehadneveraskedhim。
　　“Ishallaskhim，“saidHelen。
　　“ThelasttimeIsawyou，youwerebuyingapiano，“shecontinued。
　　“Doyouremember——thepiano，theroomintheattic，andthegreatplantswiththeprickles？“
　　“Yes，andmyauntssaidthepianowouldcomethroughthefloor，butattheirageonewouldn’tmindbeingkilledinthenight？“
　　sheenquired。
　　“IheardfromAuntBessienotlongago，“Helenstated。“Sheisafraidthatyouwillspoilyourarmsifyouinsistuponsomuchpractising。“
　　“Themusclesoftheforearm——andthenonewon’tmarry？“
　　“Shedidn’tputitquitelikethat，“repliedMrs。Ambrose。
　　“Oh，no——ofcourseshewouldn’t，“saidRachelwithasigh。
　　Helenlookedather。Herfacewasweakratherthandecided，savedfrominsipiditybythelargeenquiringeyes；deniedbeauty，nowthatshewasshelteredindoors，bythelackofcolouranddefiniteoutline。Moreover，ahesitationinspeaking，orratheratendencytousethewrongwords，madeherseemmorethannormallyincompetentforheryears。Mrs。Ambrose，whohadbeenspeakingmuchatrandom，nowreflectedthatshecertainlydidnotlookforwardtotheintimacyofthreeorfourweeksonboardshipwhichwasthreatened。
　　Womenofherownageusuallyboringher，shesupposedthatgirlswouldbeworse。SheglancedatRachelagain。Yes！howclearitwasthatshewouldbevacillating，emotional，andwhenyousaidsomethingtoheritwouldmakenomorelastingimpressionthanthestrokeofastickuponwater。Therewasnothingtotakeholdofingirls——nothinghard，permanent，satisfactory。DidWilloughbysaythreeweeks，ordidhesayfour？Shetriedtoremember。
　　Atthispoint，however，thedooropenedandatallburlymanenteredtheroom，cameforwardandshookHelen’shandwithanemotionalkindofheartiness，Willoughbyhimself，Rachel’sfather，Helen’sbrother-in-law。Asagreatdealoffleshwouldhavebeenneededtomakeafatmanofhim，hisframebeingsolarge，hewasnotfat；hisfacewasalargeframeworktoo，looking，bythesmallnessofthefeaturesandtheglowinthehollowofthecheek，morefittedtowithstandassaultsoftheweatherthantoexpresssentimentsandemotions，ortorespondtotheminothers。
　　“Itisagreatpleasurethatyouhavecome，“hesaid，“forbothofus。“
　　Rachelmurmuredinobediencetoherfather’sglance。
　　“We’lldoourbesttomakeyoucomfortable。AndRidley。Wethinkitanhonourtohavechargeofhim。Pepper’llhavesomeonetocontradicthim——whichIdaren’tdo。Youfindthischildgrown，don’tyou？Ayoungwoman，eh？“
　　StillholdingHelen’shandhedrewhisarmroundRachel’sshoulder，thusmakingthemcomeuncomfortablyclose，butHelenforboretolook。
　　“Youthinkshedoesuscredit？“heasked。
　　“Ohyes，“saidHelen。
　　“Becauseweexpectgreatthingsofher，“hecontinued，squeezinghisdaughter’sarmandreleasingher。“Butaboutyounow。“Theysatdownsidebysideonthelittlesofa。“Didyouleavethechildrenwell？
　　They’llbereadyforschool，Isuppose。DotheytakeafteryouorAmbrose？They’vegotgoodheadsontheirshoulders，I’llbebound？“
　　AtthisHelenimmediatelybrightenedmorethanshehadyetdone，andexplainedthathersonwassixandherdaughterten。
　　EverybodysaidthatherboywaslikeherandhergirllikeRidley。
　　Asforbrains，theywerequickbrats，shethought，andmodestlysheventuredonalittlestoryaboutherson，——howleftaloneforaminutehehadtakenthepatofbutterinhisfingers，runacrosstheroomwithit，andputitonthefire——merelyforthefunofthething，afeelingwhichshecouldunderstand。
　　“Andyouhadtoshowtheyoungrascalthatthesetrickswouldn’tdo，eh？“
　　“Achildofsix？Idon’tthinktheymatter。“
　　“I’manold-fashionedfather。“
　　“Nonsense，Willoughby；Rachelknowsbetter。“
　　MuchasWilloughbywoulddoubtlesshavelikedhisdaughtertopraisehimshedidnot；hereyeswereunreflectingaswater，herfingersstilltoyingwiththefossilisedfish，hermindabsent。
　　TheelderpeoplewentontospeakofarrangementsthatcouldbemadeforRidley’scomfort——atableplacedwherehecouldn’thelplookingatthesea，farfromboilers，atthesametimeshelteredfromtheviewofpeoplepassing。Unlesshemadethisaholiday，whenhisbookswereallpacked，hewouldhavenoholidaywhatever；