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that they live near each other and that they ought to have known
each other before。 But there was a sort of unexpected frankness
and simplicity in the girl's amusing manner which would have struck
anyone else as being singular； to say the least of it。 To me；
however； it all seemed natural enough。 I had dreamed of her face
too long not to be utterly happy when I met her at last and could
talk to her as much as I pleased。 To me； the man of ill luck in
everything； the whole meeting seemed too good to be true。 I felt
again that strange sensation of lightness which I had experienced
after I had seen her face in the garden。 The great rooms seemed
brighter； life seemed worth living； my sluggish； melancholy blood
ran faster； and filled me with a new sense of strength。 I said to
myself that without this woman I was but an imperfect being； but
that with her I could accomplish everything to which I should set
my hand。 Like the great Doctor； when he thought he had cheated
Mephistopheles at last； I could have cried aloud to the fleeting
moment； Verweile doch； du bist so schon！
〃Are you always gay？〃 I asked； suddenly。 〃How happy you must be！〃
〃The days would sometimes seem very long if I were gloomy；〃 she
answered； thoughtfully。 〃Yes； I think I find life very pleasant；
and I tell it so。〃
〃How can you 'tell life' anything？〃 I inquired。 〃If I could catch
my life and talk to it； I would abuse it prodigiously； I assure
you。〃
〃I dare say。 You have a melancholy temper。 You ought to live out…
of…doors； dig potatoes； make hay； shoot； hunt； tumble into ditches；
and come home muddy and hungry for dinner。 It would be much better
for you than moping in your rook tower and hating everything。〃
〃It is rather lonely down there；〃 I murmured； apologetically；
feeling that Miss Lammas was quite right。
〃Then marry； and quarrel with your wife；〃 she laughed。 〃Anything
is better than being alone。〃
〃I am a very peaceable person。 I never quarrel with anybody。 You
can try it。 You will find it quite impossible。〃
〃Will you let me try？〃 she asked； still smiling。
〃By all meansespecially if it is to be only a preliminary
canter；〃 I answered； rashly。
〃What do you mean？〃 she inquired； turning quickly upon me。
〃Ohnothing。 You might try my paces with a view to quarreling in
the future。 I cannot imagine how you are going to do it。 You will
have to resort to immediate and direct abuse。〃
〃No。 I will only say that if you do not like your life； it is your
own fault。 How can a man of your age talk of being melancholy； or
of the hollowness of existence？ Are you consumptive？ Are you
subject to hereditary insanity？ Are you deaf； like Aunt Bluebell？
Are you poor； likelots of people？ Have you been crossed in love？
Have you lost the world for a woman； or any particular woman for
the sake of the world？ Are you feeble…minded； a cripple； an
outcast？ Are yourepulsively ugly？〃 She laughed again。 〃Is
there any reason in the world why you should not enjoy all you have
got in life？〃
〃No。 There is no reason whatever； except that I am dreadfully
unlucky； especially in small things。〃
〃Then try big things； just for a change；〃 suggested Miss Lammas。
〃Try and get married； for instance； and see how it turns out。〃
〃If it turned out badly it would be rather serious。〃
〃Not half so serious as it is to abuse everything unreasonably。 If
abuse is your particular talent； abuse something that ought to be
abused。 Abuse the Conservativesor the Liberalsit does not
matter which； since they are always abusing each other。 Make
yourself felt by other people。 You will like it； if they don't。
It will make a man of you。 Fill your mouth with pebbles； and howl
at the sea； if you cannot do anything else。 It did Demosthenes no
end of good； you know。 You will have the satisfaction of imitating
a great man。〃
〃Really； Miss Lammas； I think the list of innocent exercises you
propose〃
〃Very wellif you don't care for that sort of thing； care for some
other sort of thing。 Care for something； or hate something。 Don't
be idle。 Life is short； and though art may be long； plenty of
noise answers nearly as well。〃
〃I do care for somethingI mean； somebody；〃 I said。
〃A woman？ Then marry her。 Don't hesitate。〃
〃I do not know whether she would marry me；〃 I replied。 〃I have
never asked her。〃
〃Then ask her at once；〃 answered Miss Lammas。 〃I shall die happy
if I feel I have persuaded a melancholy fellow creature to rouse
himself to action。 Ask her； by all means； and see what she says。
If she does not accept you at once； she may take you the next time。
Meanwhile； you will have entered for the race。 If you lose； there
are the 'All…aged Trial Stakes；' and the 'Consolation Race。'〃
〃And plenty of selling races into the bargain。 Shall I take you at
your word； Miss Lammas？〃
〃I hope you will；〃 she answered。
〃Since you yourself advise me； I will。 Miss Lammas； will you do me
the honor to marry me？〃
For the first time in my life the blood rushed to my head and my
sight swam。 I cannot tell why I said it。 It would be useless to
try to explain the extraordinary fascination the girl exercised
over me； or the still more extraordinary feeling of intimacy with
her which had grown in me during that half hour。 Lonely； sad；
unlucky as I had been all my life； I was certainly not timid； nor
even shy。 But to propose to marry a woman after half an hour's
acquaintance was a piece of madness of which I never believed
myself capable； and of which I should never be capable again； could
I be placed in the same situation。 It was as though my whole being
had been changed in a moment by magicby the white magic of her
nature brought into contact with mine。 The blood sank back to my
heart； and a moment later I found myself staring at her with
anxious eyes。 To my amazement she was as calm as ever； but her
beautiful mouth smiled； and there was a mischievous light in her
dark…brown eyes。
〃Fairly caught；〃 she answered。 〃For an individual who pretends to
be listless and sad you are not lacking in humor。 I had really not
the least idea what you were going to say。 Wouldn't it be
singularly awkward for you if I had said 'Yes'？ I never saw
anybody begin to practice so sharply what was preached to himwith
so very little loss of time！〃
〃You probably never met a man who had dreamed of you for seven
months before being introduced。〃
〃No； I never did；〃 she answered gayly。 〃It smacks of the romantic。
Perhaps you are a romantic character； after all。 I should think
you were if I believed you。 Very well； you have taken my advice；
entered for a Stranger's Race and lost it。 Try the All…aged Trial
Stakes。 You have another cuff； and a pencil。 Propose to Aunt
Bluebell； she would dance with astonishment； and she might recover
her hearing。〃
III
That was how I first a