Maurice bowed his head.
"I see, I see that I have suffered nothing," he said. "Superficial fool that I am. Shallow, shallow ass, incompetent, dull and unimaginative block! I'm glad I've seen you. I'm glad I've heard you say all that. You've taught me something—perhaps in time. I'm only twenty-eight now—and fancy, you're only twenty-four—so I can go and think what might have been and, better, what I may be through you, what I will be. I won't say I'm sorry. That would be an impertinence ... as you said, I simply am not at all."
The mist closed round them thicker for a moment; then seemed to lighten very slowly. Jenny was staring at the cliff's top.
"Is that a bush blowing up and down or a man's head bobbing?"
"I don't see any man," he answered.
"Good-bye," Jenny said.
"Good-bye."
She turned to the upward path, pulling herself up the quicker by grasping handfuls of fern fronds. Suddenly there was a shout through the fog.
"Snared, my lill wild thing!"
There came a report. Jenny fell backwards into the ferns and foxgloves and withered bluebells.