LXVII
They decided to ask Miss Ferris, the landlady’s daughter, for a cup of tea, before they set out on the journey home. June felt she could afford to take the risk, since by now the situation was well in hand. Mr. Mitchell raised no objection. Himself an ampler man for a noble lunch, he had been recounting tales of Araby and lands of fair renown in the privacy of the Office. His suit of Robin Hood green and a certain gallantry of bearing had made considerable impact in an amazingly short time, not upon Miss Ferris merely, but upon her widowed mother, the sole proprietress of the Unicorn Inn, who in the words of the local manager of the East Anglia and Overtons Bank “was the warmest woman in Crowdham Market.”
While Mr. Mitchell (Sergeant, R.E., D.C.M. with clasp), and the widow were in the garden admiring the early pansies, June and William sat down to tea in the coffee room. Even there the contiguity of Miss Ferris had rather a tendency to cramp June’s style. High-coloured girl, she was a little inclined to take liberties as she passed around the table. And when June, in her sweetest and best Miss Babraham manner, asked if they might have some crab apple jam, she caught the glint of the ring on June’s heart finger in a way so direct that she murmured something about having to look out for her eyesight—or words equally ill-bred—and nearly dropped the tea pot.
By the time they got under way and the nose of the car was set for the pleasant land of Surrey, a doubt infected the mind of Mr. Mitchell as to whether they would make Homefield before midnight. Neither June nor William seemed to care very much whether they did or whether they didn’t. The car was most comfortable, the sense of romance hot upon them still, the presence of each other vital and delicious in their consciousness. Mile passed upon mile. The endless spool of road continued to unwind itself, a little wind breathed gentle nothings, Mr. Mitchell sat four-square in front, the birds still sang, but the sun was going down.
Saying very little, they lived never-to-be-forgotten hours. Now and again William pointed to a bird or a tree, the fold of a hill, the form of a cloud, the gleam of a distant water. Yet for the most part the nearness of each other was all sufficing. June began to nestle closer; the chill of night came on. Saying less than ever now, moonstones and diamonds stole upon her thoughts. She was haunted by a lovely fear that she could not live up to them. And then softly and more soft, she began to breathe with a rhythmical rise and fall, slowly deepening to a faint crescendo that blended with the motions of the car.
East by west of nowhere came the high moment when the sun was not, and the moon not yet. Somewhere over Surrey a star was dancing. Very shyly and gently he ventured to give her a kiss. She stirred ever so little. A bird spoke from a brake, a note clear and wonderful, yet the month was young for the nightingale. But this was Cloud Cuckoo Land, a divine country in which the nightingale may be heard at odd seasons.
Psyche stirred again. With a reverence chaste and simple he gave her a second kiss, deep and slow. The solemn sacrament was fire to the soul of an artist. And then he gave a little gasp. The high gods in his brain whispered that the moon was coming.
The moon was coming.
Yes, there she was, the sovereign lady! He sat very still, praying, praying that he might surprise some holy secret, hidden even from Duclaux.
She was very wonderful to-night. Her loveliness was more than he could bear. There was a touch of intimacy in her magic; the country over which she shone was elfland. He seemed to hear a faint familiar sound of horns. Or it might have been the swift gliding of the car.
In the quietness of the spirit’s ecstasy he could have wept.
Might it be given to Duclaux to see her, lovely lady, just as he could see her now!
But he mustn’t dare to breathe or the vision would be forever lost.
THE END
NOVELS BY J. C. SNAITH
THE VAN ROON
A remarkable novel, human to its very core, which tells of how a painting by an old master, newly discovered, became a cause of love and hate among a curious and delightful group of characters.
THE COUNCIL OF SEVEN
International mystery in which seven men come to grips with a war-preaching newspaper-syndicate. The hero, typical Snaith character, fights boldly against strangling intrigue.
THE UNDEFEATED
“It is distinctly a big novel—a book of vision and of understanding, of truth and beauty.”—New York Times.
“The simplest and straightest work imaginable and mightily impressive.”—Washington Star.
THE SAILOR
“It is a book that overwhelms the reader by the poignant and magnificent message that it carries. It is a book that is unforgettable.”—Springfield Union.
“Interpretative, creative work of a very high order.”—New York Times.
THE ADVENTUROUS LADY
A sparkling social comedy, top-full of delightful situations and characters, seasoned with incomparable humor and youthful buoyancy.
THE TIME SPIRIT
“The verbal fencing, sparkling colloquy and keen, swift repartee alone raise the story far above the dead level of society fiction.”—Philadelphia North American.
THE COMING
“Mr. Snaith handles his theme delicately, poetically, with a fine and sensitive reverence.”—Independent.
“It is a daring performance of impressive and triumphant strength.”—New York Tribune.
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
New York London
A CHOICE SHELF OF NOVELS
ABBÉ PIERRE
By JAY WILLIAM HUDSON
This charming novel of life in quaint Gascony is proving that a novel that is a work of truest art can be a best seller of the widest popularity.
WAY OF REVELATION
By WILFRID EWART
A realistic novel of the great war which presents with startling truth and accuracy the effect of the conflict upon a group of intensely interesting characters.
THE MERCY OF ALLAH
By HILAIRE BELLOC, Author of “The Path to Rome,” etc.
A brilliant and highly entertaining satire on modern business, which tells of how Mahmoud, by the Mercy of Allah and his own keen wits, accumulated a vast fortune.
THE RICH LITTLE POOR BOY
By ELEANOR GATES, Author of “The Poor Little Rich Girl,” etc.
A whimsical, humorous fantasy of a poor little boy’s search for happiness.
MOTHER
By MAXIM GORKY. Introduction by Charles Edward Russell.
Wide interest is being displayed in Gorky’s story of Russia before the Revolution.
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
New York London
AMONG THE NEWEST NOVELS
THE HOUSE OF MOHUN
By GEORGE GIBBS, Author of “Youth Triumphant,” etc.
A distinguished novel depicting present day society and its most striking feature, the “flapper.” A story of splendid dramatic qualities.
THE COVERED WAGON
By EMERSON HOUGH, Author of “The Magnificent Adventure,” “The Story of the Cowboy,” etc.
A novel of the first water, clear and clean, is this thrilling story of the pioneers, the men and women who laid the foundation of the great west.
HOMESTEAD RANCH
By ELIZABETH G. YOUNG
The New York Times says that “Homestead Ranch” is one of the season’s “two best real wild and woolly western yarns.” The Boston Herald says, “So delightful that we recommend it as one of the best western stories of the year.”
SACRIFICE
By STEPHEN FRENCH WHITMAN, Author of “Predestined,” etc.
How a woman, spoiled child of New York society, faced the dangers of the African jungle trail. “One feels ever the white heat of emotional conflict.”—Philadelphia Public Ledger.
DOUBLE-CROSSED
By W. DOUGLAS NEWTON, Author of “Low Ceilings,” etc.
“An excellently written and handled tale of adventure and thrills in the dark spruce valleys of Canada.”—New York Times.
JANE JOURNEYS ON
By RUTH COMFORT MITCHELL, Author of “Play the Game,” etc.
The cheerful story of a delightful heroine’s adventures from Vermont to Mexico.
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
New York London
Transcriber’s Notes:
On page 10, finger-nail has been changed to finger nail.
On page 15, packing-case has been changed to packing case.
On page 31, “top if” has been changed to “top of”.
On page 70, “was not be” has been changed to “was not to be”.
On page 73, “severity that” has been changed to “severity than”.
On page 75, once side has been changed to one side.
On page 111, none-such has been changed to non-such.
On pages 154 and 194, Jane has been changed to June.
On page 189, shop-door has been changed to shop door.
On page 258, that has been changed to than.
On page 319, being has been changed to been.
On page 321, Jane Eliot has been changed to Jane Austen.
Minor, quiet corrections have been made to punctuation, to conform to common usage.
All other hyphenation, variant and archaic spellings and accented dialogue have been retained.