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h'm。 They don't run away from home； my dear。〃
〃No；〃 said Miss Bessie； quietly。
Captain Hagberd； amongst the mounds of
turned…up earth； chuckled。 With his maritime rig；
his weather…beaten face； his beard of Father Nep…
tune； he resembled a deposed sea…god who had ex…
changed the trident for the spade。
〃And he must look upon you as already pro…
vided for； in a manner。 That's the best of it with
the girls。 The husbands 。 。 。〃 He winked。 Miss
Bessie； absorbed in her knitting； coloured faintly。
〃Bessie！ my hat！〃 old Carvil bellowed out sud…
denly。 He had been sitting under the tree mute
and motionless； like an idol of some remarkably
monstrous superstition。 He never opened his
mouth but to howl for her； at her； sometimes about
her； and then he did not moderate the terms of his
abuse。 Her system was never to answer him at all；
and he kept up his shouting till he got attended to
till she shook him by the arm； or thrust the
mouthpiece of his pipe between his teeth。 He was
one of the few blind people who smoke。 When he
felt the hat being put on his head he stopped his
noise at once。 Then he rose； and they passed to…
gether through the gate。
He weighed heavily on her arm。 During their
slow； toilful walks she appeared to be dragging
with her for a penance the burden of that infirm
bulk。 Usually they crossed the road at once （the
cottages stood in the fields near the harbour； two
hundred yards away from the end of the street）；
and for a long； long time they would remain in
view； ascending imperceptibly the flight of wooden
steps that led to the top of the sea…wall。 It ran
on from east to west； shutting out the Channel like
a neglected railway embankment； on which no train
had ever rolled within memory of man。 Groups
of sturdy fishermen would emerge upon the sky；
walk along for a bit； and sink without haste。 Their
brown nets； like the cobwebs of gigantic spiders；
lay on the shabby grass of the slope； and； looking
up from the end of the street； the people of the
town would recognise the two Carvils by the creep…
ing slowness of their gait。 Captain Hagberd； pot…
tering aimlessly about his cottages； would raise his
head to see how they got on in their promenade。
He advertised still in the Sunday papers for
Harry Hagberd。 These sheets were read in for…
eign parts to the end of the world； he informed Bes…
sie。 At the same time he seemed to think that his
son was in Englandso near to Colebrook that he
would of course turn up 〃to…morrow。〃 Bessie；
without committing herself to that opinion in so
many words； argued that in that case the expense
of advertising was unnecessary； Captain Hagberd
had better spend that weekly half…crown on him…
self。 She declared she did not know what he lived
on。 Her argumentation would puzzle him and cast
him down for a time。 〃They all do it；〃 he pointed
out。 There was a whole column devoted to appeals
after missing relatives。 He would bring the news…
paper to show her。 He and his wife had advertised
for years； only she was an impatient woman。 The
news from Colebrook had arrived the very day after
her funeral； if she had not been so impatient she
might have been here now； with no more than one
day more to wait。 〃You are not an impatient
woman； my dear。〃
〃I've no patience with you sometimes；〃 she
would say。
If he still advertised for his son he did not offer
rewards for information any more； for； with the
muddled lucidity of a mental derangement he had
reasoned himself into a conviction as clear as day…
light that he had already attained all that could be
expected in that way。 What more could he want？
Colebrook was the place； and there was no need to
ask for more。 Miss Carvil praised him for his good
sense； and he was soothed by the part she took in
his hope； which had become his delusion； in that
idea which blinded his mind to truth and probabil…
ity； just as the other old man in the other cottage
had been made blind； by another disease； to the
light and beauty of the world。
But anything he could interpret as a doubt
any coldness of assent； or even a simple inattention
to the development of his projects of a home with
his returned son and his son's wifewould irritate
him into flings and jerks and wicked side glances。
He would dash his spade into the ground and walk
to and fro before it。 Miss Bessie called it his tan…
trums。 She shook her finger at him。 Then； when
she came out again； after he had parted with her
in anger； he would watch out of the corner of his
eyes for the least sign of encouragement to ap…
proach the iron railings and resume his fatherly
and patronising relations。
For all their intimacy； which had lasted some
years now； they had never talked without a fence
or a railing between them。 He described to her all
the splendours accumulated for the setting…up of
their housekeeping； but had never invited her to an
inspection。 No human eye was to behold them till
Harry had his first look。 In fact； nobody had ever
been inside his cottage； he did his own housework；
and he guarded his son's privilege so jealously that
the small objects of domestic use he bought some…
times in the town were smuggled rapidly across the
front garden under his canvas coat。 Then； coming
out； he would remark apologetically； 〃It was only
a small kettle； my dear。〃
And； if not too tired with her drudgery； or wor…
ried beyond endurance by her father； she would
laugh at him with a blush； and say： 〃That's all
right； Captain Hagberd； I am not impatient。〃
〃Well； my dear； you haven't long to wait now；〃
he would answer with a sudden bashfulness； and
looking uneasily； as though he had suspected that
there was something wrong somewhere。
Every Monday she paid him his rent over the
railings。 He clutched the shillings greedily。 He
grudged every penny he had to spend on his main…
tenance； and when he left her to make his purchases
his bearing changed as soon as he got into the
street。 Away from the sanction of her pity； he felt
himself exposed without defence。 He brushed the
walls with his shoulder。 He mistrusted the queer…
ness of the people； yet； by then； even the town
children had left off calling after him； and the
tradesmen served him without a word。 The slight…
est allusion to his clothing had the power to puz