Book + 

I + 

Abbots Puissants + 

I + 

I + 

There were only three people of real importance in VernonтАЩs world: Nurse, God and Mr.┬аGreen. + 

There were, of course, the nursemaids. Winnie, the present one, and behind her Jane and Annie and Sarah and Gladys. Those were all the ones that Vernon could remember, but there were lots more. Nursery maids never stayed long because they couldnтАЩt get on with Nurse. They hardly counted in VernonтАЩs world. + 

There was also a kind of twin deity called Mummy-Daddy mentioned by Vernon in his prayers and also connected with going down to dessert. They were shadowy figures, rather beautiful and wonderfulтБатАФespecially MummyтБатАФbut they again did not belong to the real worldтБатАФVernonтАЩs world. + 

The things in VernonтАЩs world were very real indeed. There was the drugget on the nursery floor, for instance. It was of green and white stripes and rather scrubbly to bare knees and in one corner of it was a hole which Vernon used surreptitiously to make bigger by working his fingers round in it. There were the nursery walls where mauve irises twined themselves interminably upwards round a pattern that was sometimes diamonds and sometimes, if you looked at it long enough, crosses. That seemed very interesting to Vernon and rather magical. + 

There was a rocking horse against one wall, but Vernon seldom rode on it. There was a basket-work engine and some basket-work trucks which he played with a good deal. There was a low cupboard full of more or less dilapidated toys. On an upper shelf were the more delectable contents that you played with on a wet day or when Nurse was in an unusually good temper. The Paint Box was there and the Real Camel Hair Brushes and a heap of illustrated papers for Cutting Out. In fact, all the things that Nurse said were тАЬthat messy she couldnтАЩt abear them about.тАЭ In other words, the best things. + 

And in the centre of this realistic nursery universe, dominating everything, was Nurse herself. Person No.┬а1 of VernonтАЩs Trinity. Very big and broad, very starched and crackling. Omniscient and omnipotent. You couldnтАЩt get the better of Nurse. She knew better than little boys. She frequently said so. Her whole lifetime had been spent looking after little boys (and incidentally little girls too, but Vernon was not interested in them) and one and all they had grown up to be a Credit to her. She said so and Vernon believed her. He had no doubt that he also would grow up to be a Credit to her, though sometimes it didnтАЩt seem likely. There was something awe-inspiring about Nurse, but at the same time infinitely comfortable. She knew the answer to everything. For instance, Vernon propounded the riddle about the diamonds and the crosses on the wallpaper. + 

тАЬAh! well,тАЭ said Nurse, тАЬthereтАЩs two ways of looking at everything. You must have heard that.тАЭ + 

And as Vernon had heard her say much the same to Winnie one day, he was soothed and satisfied. On the occasion in question, Nurse had gone on to say that there were always two sides to a question and in future Vernon always visualized a question as something like a letter A with crosses creeping up one side of it and diamonds going down the other. + 

After Nurse there was God. God was also very real to Vernon mainly because he bulked so largely in NurseтАЩs conversation. Nurse knew most things that you did, but God knew everything, and God was, if anything, more particular than Nurse. You couldnтАЩt see God, which, Vernon always felt, gave him rather an unfair advantage over you, because he could see you. Even in the dark, he could see you. Sometimes when Vernon was in bed at night, the thought of God looking down at him through the darkness used to give him a creepy feeling down the spine. + 

But on the whole, God was an intangible person compared with Nurse. You could conveniently forget about him most of the time. That was, until Nurse lugged him deliberately into the conversation. + 

Once Vernon essayed revolt. + 

тАЬNurse, do you know what I shall do when IтАЩm dead?тАЭ + 

Nurse, who was knitting stockings, said: тАЬOne, two, three, four, there now, IтАЩve dropped a stitch. No, Master Vernon, IтАЩm sure I donтАЩt.тАЭ + 

тАЬI shall go to HeavenтБатАФI shall go to HeavenтБатАФand I shall go right up to GodтБатАФright up to him I shall go, and I shall say: тАШYouтАЩre an тАЩorrible man and I тАЩate you!тАЩтАКтАЭ + 

Silence. It was done. He had said it. Unbelievable, unparalleled audacity! What would happen? What awful punishment terrestrial or celestial would descend upon him? He waitedтБатАФbreathless. + 

Nurse had picked up the stitch. She looked at Vernon over the top of her spectacles. She was sereneтБатАФunruffled. + 

тАЬItтАЩs not likely,тАЭ she remarked, тАЬthat the Almighty will take any notice of what a naughty little boy says. Winnie, give me those scissors, if you please.тАЭ + 

Vernon retired crestfallen. It was no good. You couldnтАЩt down Nurse. He might have known. + 

II + 

And then there was Mr.┬аGreen. Mr.┬аGreen was like God in that you couldnтАЩt see him, but to Vernon he was very real. He knew, for instance, exactly what Mr.┬аGreen looked likeтБатАФof middle height, rather stout, a faint resemblance to the village grocer who sang an uncertain baritone in the village choir, bright red cheeks and mutton chop whiskers. His eyes were blue, a very bright blue. The great thing about Mr.┬аGreen was that he playedтБатАФhe loved playing. Whatever game Vernon thought of, that was just the game that Mr.┬аGreen loved to play. There were other points about him. He had, for instance, a hundred children. And three others. The hundred, in VernonтАЩs mind, were kept intact, a joyous mob that raced down the yew alleys behind Vernon and Mr.┬аGreen. But the three others were different. They were called by the three most beautiful names that Vernon knew: Poodle, Squirrel and Tree. + 

Vernon was, perhaps, a lonely little boy, but he never knew it. Because, you see, he had Mr.┬аGreen and Poodle, Squirrel and Tree to play with. + 

III + 

For a long time Vernon was undecided as to where Mr.┬аGreenтАЩs home was. It came to him quite suddenly that of course Mr.┬аGreen lived in the Forest. The Forest had always been fascinating to Vernon. One side of the Park bordered on it. There were high green palings and Vernon used to creep along them hoping for a crack that would let him see through. There were whisperings and sighings and rustlings all along, as though the trees were speaking to each other. Halfway down there was a door, but alas, it was always locked, so that Vernon could never see what it was really like inside the Forest. + 

Nurse, of course, would never take him there. She was like all nurses and preferred a good steady walk along the road, and no messing your feet up with them nasty damp leaves. So Vernon was never allowed to go in the Forest. It made him think of it all the more. Some day he would take tea there with Mr.┬аGreen. Poodle and Squirrel and Tree were to have new suits for the occasion. + 

IV + 

The nursery palled on Vernon. It was too small. He knew all there was to know about it. The garden was different. It was really a very exciting garden. There were so many different bits of it. The long walks between the clipped yew hedges with their ornamental birds, the water garden with the fat goldfish, the walled fruit garden, the wild garden with its almond trees in spring time and the copse of silver birch trees with bluebells growing underneath, and best of all the railed-off bit where the ruins of the old Abbey were. That was the place where Vernon would have liked to be left to his own devicesтБатАФto climb and explore. But he never was. The rest of the garden he did much as he liked in. Winnie was always sent out with him but since by a remarkable coincidence they always seemed to encounter the second gardener, he could play his own games unhindered by too much kind attention on WinnieтАЩs part. + 

V + 

Gradually VernonтАЩs world widened. The twin star, Mummy-Daddy, separated, became two distinct people. Daddy remained nebulous, but Mummy became quite a personage. She often paid visits to the nursery to тАЬplay with my darling little boy.тАЭ Vernon bore her visits with grave politeness, though it usually meant giving up the game that he himself was engaged upon and accepting one which was not, in his opinion, nearly so good. Lady visitors would sometimes come with her, and then she would squeeze Vernon tightly (which he hated) and cry: + 

тАЬItтАЩs so wonderful to be a mother! I never get used to it! To have a darling baby boy of oneтАЩs very own.тАЭ + 

Very red, Vernon would extricate himself from her embrace. Because he wasnтАЩt a baby boy at all. He was three years old. + 

Looking across the room one day, just after a scene like the above, he saw his father standing by the nursery door with sardonic eyes, watching him. Their eyes met. Something seemed to pass between themтБатАФcomprehensionтБатАФa sense of kinship. + 

His motherтАЩs friends were talking. + 

тАЬSuch a pity, Myra, that he doesnтАЩt take after you. Your hair would be too lovely on a child.тАЭ + 

But Vernon had a sudden feeling of pride. He was like his father. + 

VI + 

Vernon always remembered the day that the American lady came to lunch. To begin with, because of NurseтАЩs explanations about America which, as he realized later, she confused with Australia. + 

He went down to dessert in an awestricken state. If this lady had been at home in her own country, she would be walking about upside down with her head hanging down. Quite enough, this, to make him stare. And then, too, she used odd words for the simplest things. + 

тАЬIsnтАЩt he too cute? See here, honey, IтАЩve gotten a box of candy for you. WonтАЩt you come and fetch it?тАЭ + 

Vernon came gingerly; accepted the present. The lady clearly didnтАЩt know what she was talking about. It wasnтАЩt candy, but good Edinburgh Rock. + 

There were two gentlemen there also, one the husband of the American lady. This one said: + 

тАЬDo you know half a crown, my boy, when you see it?тАЭ + 

And it presently turned out that the half-crown was to be for his very own to keep. Altogether it was a wonderful day. + 

Vernon had never thought very much about his home. He knew that it was bigger than the Vicarage, where he sometimes went to tea, but he seldom played with any other children or went to their homes. So it came to him with a shock of wonder that day. The visitors were taken all over the house, and the American ladyтАЩs voice rose ceaselessly. + 

тАЬMy, if that isnтАЩt too wonderful. Did you ever see such a thing? Five hundred years, you say? Frank, listen to that. Henry the EighthтБатАФif it isnтАЩt just like listening to English history. And the Abbey older still, you say?тАЭ + 

They went everywhere, through the long picture gallery where faces strangely like VernonтАЩs, with dark eyes set close together and narrow heads, looked out from the painted canvas arrogantly or with cold tolerance. There were meek women there in ruffs or with pearls twisted in their hairтБатАФthe Deyre women had done best to be meek, married to wild lords who knew neither fear nor pityтБатАФwho looked appraisingly at Myra Deyre, the last of their number, as she walked beneath them. From the picture gallery they went to the square hall, and from there to the PriestтАЩs Chamber. + 

Vernon had been removed by Nurse long since. They found him again in the garden feeding the goldfish. VernonтАЩs father had gone into the house to get the keys of the Abbey ruins. The visitors were alone. + 

тАЬMy, Frank,тАЭ said the American lady. тАЬIsnтАЩt it too wonderful? All these years. Handed down from father to son. Romantic, thatтАЩs what I call it, just too romantic for anything. All these years. Just fancy! How is it done?тАЭ + 

It was then that the other gentleman spoke. He was not much of a talker, so far Vernon had not heard him speak at all. But he now unclosed his lips and uttered one wordтБатАФa word so enchanting, so mysterious, so delightful that Vernon never forgot it. + 

тАЬBrumagem,тАЭ said the other gentleman. + 

And before Vernon could ask him (as he meant to do) what that marvellous word meant, another diversion occurred. + 

His mother came out of the house. There was a sunset behind herтБатАФa scene painterтАЩs sunset of crude gold and red. Against that background Vernon saw his motherтБатАФsaw her for the first timeтБатАФa magnificent woman with white skin and red-gold hairтБатАФa being like the pictures in his fairy book, saw her suddenly as something wonderful and beautiful. + 

He was never to forget that strange moment. She was his mother and she was beautiful and he loved her. Something hurt him inside, like a painтБатАФonly it wasnтАЩt a pain. And there was a queer booming noise inside his headтБатАФa thundering noise that ended up high and sweet like a birdтАЩs note. Altogether a very wonderful moment. + 

And mixed up with it was that magic word Brumagem. + 

II + 

I + 

Winnie the nursemaid was going away. It all happened very suddenly. The other servants whispered together. Winnie cried. She cried and cried. Nurse gave her what she called a Talking To and after that Winnie cried more than ever. There was something terrible about Nurse; she seemed larger than usual and she crackled more. Winnie, Vernon knew, was going away because of Father. He accepted that fact without any particular interest or curiosity. Nursemaids did sometimes go away because of Father. + 

His mother was shut in her room. She too was crying. Vernon could hear her through the door. She did not send for him and it did not occur to him to go to her. Indeed he was vaguely relieved. He hated the noise of crying, the gulping sound, the long-drawn sniffs, and it always happened so close to your ears. People who were crying always hugged you. Vernon hated those kind of noises close to his ears. There was nothing in the world he hated more than the wrong sort of noise. It made you feel all curled up like a leaf in your middle. That was the jolly part about Mr.┬аGreen. He never made the wrong kind of noise. + 

Winnie was packing her boxes. Nurse was in with herтБатАФa less awful Nurse nowтБатАФalmost a human Nurse. + 

тАЬNow you let this be a warning to you, my girl,тАЭ said Nurse. тАЬNo carryings on in your next place.тАЭ + 

Winnie sniffed something about no real harm. + 

тАЬAnd no more there wouldnтАЩt be, I should hope, with Me in charge,тАЭ said Nurse. тАЬA lot comes, I dare say, of having red hair. Red-haired girls are always flighty, so my dear mother used to say. IтАЩm not saying youтАЩre a bad girl. But what youтАЩve done is Unbecoming. UnbecomingтБатАФI canтАЩt say more than that.тАЭ + 

And, as Vernon had often noticed after using this particular phrase, she proceeded to say a good deal more. But he did not listen, for he was pondering on the word тАЬunbecoming.тАЭ Becoming, he knew, was a thing you said about a hat. Where did a hat come in? + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs unbecoming, Nurse?тАЭ he asked later in the day. + 

Nurse, with her mouth full of pins, for she was cutting out a linen suit for Vernon, replied. + 

тАЬUnsuitable.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs unsuitable?тАЭ + 

тАЬLittle boys going on asking foolish questions,тАЭ said Nurse, with the deftness of a long professional career behind her. + 

II + 

That afternoon VernonтАЩs father came into the nursery. There was a queer furtive look about himтБатАФunhappy and defiant. He winced slightly before VernonтАЩs round interested gaze. + 

тАЬHullo, Vernon.тАЭ + 

тАЬHullo, Father.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm going to London. Goodbye, old chap.тАЭ + 

тАЬAre you going to London because you kissed Winnie?тАЭ inquired Vernon with interest. + 

His father uttered the kind of word that Vernon knew he was not supposed to hearтБатАФmuch less ever repeat. It was, he knew, a word that gentlemen used but little boys didnтАЩt. So great a fascination did that fact lend it, that Vernon was in the habit of sending himself to sleep by repeating it over to himself in company with another forbidden word. The other word was Corsets. + 

тАЬWho the devil told you that?тАЭ + 

тАЬNobody told me,тАЭ said Vernon after reflecting a minute. + 

тАЬThen how did you know?тАЭ + 

тАЬDidnтАЩt you, then?тАЭ inquired Vernon. + 

His father crossed the room without answering. + 

тАЬWinnie kisses me sometimes,тАЭ remarked Vernon. тАЬBut I didnтАЩt like it much. I have to kiss her too. The gardener kisses her a lot. He seems to like it. I think kissingтАЩs silly. Should I like kissing Winnie better if I was grown up, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ he said deliberately. тАЬI think you would. Sons, you know, sometimes grow up very like their fathers.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩd like to be like you,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬYouтАЩre a jolly good rider. Sam said so. He said there wasnтАЩt your equal in the county and that a better judge of horse flesh never lived.тАЭ Vernon brought out the latter words rapidly. тАЬIтАЩd rather be like you than Mummy. Mummy gives a horse a sore back. Sam said so.тАЭ + 

There was a further pause. + 

тАЬMummyтАЩs gotaheadacheanlyingdown,тАЭ proceeded Vernon. + 

тАЬI know.тАЭ + 

тАЬHave you said goodbye to her?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo.тАЭ + 

тАЬAre you going to? Because youтАЩll have to be quick. ThatтАЩs the dogcart coming round now.тАЭ + 

тАЬI expect I shanтАЩt have time.тАЭ + 

Vernon nodded wisely. + 

тАЬI dare say that would be a good plan. I donтАЩt like having to kiss people when theyтАЩre crying. I donтАЩt like Mummy kissing me much anyway. She squeezes too hard and she talks in your ear. I think IтАЩd almost rather kiss Winnie. Which would you, Father?тАЭ + 

He was disconcerted by his fatherтАЩs abrupt withdrawal from the room. Nurse had come in a moment before. She stood respectfully aside to let the Master pass, and Vernon had a vague idea that she had managed to make his father uncomfortable. + 

Katie, the under-housemaid, came in to lay tea. Vernon built bricks in the corner. The old peaceful nursery atmosphere closed round him again. + 

III + 

There was a sudden interruption. His mother stood in the doorway. Her eyes were swollen with crying. She dabbed them with a handkerchief. She stood there theatrically miserable. + 

тАЬHeтАЩs gone,тАЭ she cried. тАЬWithout a word to me. Without a word. Oh! my little son. My little son.тАЭ + 

She swept across the floor and gathered Vernon in her arms. The tower, at least one storey higher than any he had ever built before, crashed into ruins. His motherтАЩs voice, loud and distraught, burrowed into his ear. + 

тАЬMy childтБатАФmy little sonтБатАФswear that youтАЩll never forsake me. Swear itтБатАФswear it.тАЭ + 

Nurse came across to them. + 

тАЬThere, maтАЩam, there, maтАЩam, donтАЩt take on so. YouтАЩd better get back to bed. Edith shall bring you a nice cup of hot tea.тАЭ + 

Her tone was authoritativeтБатАФsevere. + 

His mother still sobbed and clasped him closer. VernonтАЩs whole body began to stiffen in resistance. He could bear it a little while longerтБатАФa very little while longerтБатАФand heтАЩd do anything Mummy wanted if only sheтАЩd let go of him. + 

тАЬYou must make up to me, VernonтБатАФmake up to me for the suffering your father has caused me. Oh! my God, what shall I do?тАЭ + 

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Vernon was aware of Katie, silent, ecstatic, enjoying the scene. + 

тАЬCome along, maтАЩam,тАЭ said Nurse. тАЬYouтАЩll only upset the child.тАЭ + 

The authority in her voice was so marked this time that VernonтАЩs mother succumbed to it. Leaning weakly on NurseтАЩs arm, she allowed herself to be led from the room. + 

Nurse returned a few minutes later very red in the face. + 

тАЬMy,тАЭ said Katie, тАЬdidnтАЩt she take on? Regular hystericsтБатАФthatтАЩs what they call it! Well, this has been a to-do! You donтАЩt think sheтАЩll do a mischief to herself, do you? Those nasty ponds in the garden. The Master is a oneтБатАФnot that he hasnтАЩt a lot to put up with from Her. All them scenes and tantrumsтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩll do, my girl,тАЭ said Nurse. тАЬYou can get back to your work, and under-servants discussing a matter of this kind with their betters is a thing that IтАЩve never known take place in a gentlemanтАЩs house. Your mother ought to have trained you better.тАЭ + 

With a toss of her head, Katie withdrew. Nurse moved round the nursery table, shifting cups and plates with unwonted sharpness. Her lips moved, muttering to herself. + 

тАЬPutting ideas into the childтАЩs head. IтАЩve no patience with itтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

III + 

I + 

A new nursemaid came, a thin white girl with protruding eyes. Her name was Isabel, but she was called Susan as being More Suitable. This puzzled Vernon very much. He asked Nurse for an explanation. + 

тАЬThere are names that are suitable to the gentry, Master Vernon, and names that are suitable for servants. ThatтАЩs all there is to it.тАЭ + 

тАЬThen why is her real name Isabel?тАЭ + 

тАЬThere are people who when they christen their children set themselves up to ape their betters.тАЭ + 

The word тАЬapeтАЭ had a distracting influence on Vernon. Apes were monkeys. Did people christen their children at the zoo? + 

тАЬI thought people were christened in church.тАЭ + 

тАЬSo they are, Master Vernon.тАЭ + 

Very puzzling. Why was everything so puzzling? Why were things more puzzling than they used to be? Why did one person tell you one thing and another person something quite different? + 

тАЬNurse, how do babies come?тАЭ + 

тАЬYouтАЩve asked me that before, Master Vernon. The little angels bring them in the night through the window.тАЭ + 

тАЬThat Am-am-amтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬDonтАЩt stammer, Master Vernon.тАЭ + 

тАЬAmenkun lady who cameтБатАФshe said I was found under a gooseberry bush.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs the way they do with American babies,тАЭ said Nurse serenely. + 

Vernon heaved a sigh of relief. Of course! He felt a throb of gratitude to Nurse. She always knew. She made the unsteady swaying universe stand still again. And she never laughed. His mother did. He had heard her say to other ladies, тАЬHe asks me the quaintest questions. Just listen to this.тБатАКтБатАж ArenтАЩt children funny and adorable?тАЭ + 

But Vernon couldnтАЩt see that he was funny or adorable at all. He just wanted to know. YouтАЩd got to know. That was part of growing up. When you were grown up you knew everything and had gold sovereigns in your purse. + 

II + 

The world went on widening. + 

There were, for instance, uncles and aunts. + 

Uncle Sydney was MummyтАЩs brother. He was short and stout and had rather a red face. He had a habit of humming tunes and of rattling the money in his trouser pockets. He was fond of making jokes, but Vernon did not always think his jokes very funny. + 

тАЬSupposing,тАЭ Uncle Sydney would say, тАЬI were to put on your hat? Hey? What should I look like, do you think?тАЭ + 

Curious, the questions grown up people asked! CuriousтБатАФand also difficult, because if there was one thing that Nurse was always impressing upon Vernon, it was that little boys must never make personal remarks. + 

тАЬCome now,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney perseveringly. тАЬWhat should I look like? ThereтБатАФтАЭ he snatched up the linen affair in question and balanced it on top of his head. тАЬтБатАФwhat do I look like, eh?тАЭ + 

Well, if one must answer, one must. Vernon said politely and a little wearily: + 

тАЬI think you look rather silly.тАЭ + 

тАЬThat boy of yours has no sense of humour, Myra,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney to his mother. тАЬNo sense of humour at all. A pity.тАЭ + 

Aunt Nina, FatherтАЩs sister, was quite different. + 

She smelt nice, like the garden on a summerтАЩs day, and she had a soft voice that Vernon liked. She had other virtuesтБатАФshe didnтАЩt kiss you when you didnтАЩt want to be kissed, and she didnтАЩt insist on making jokes. But she didnтАЩt come very often to Abbots Puissants. + 

She must be, Vernon thought, very brave, because it was she who first made him realize that one could master the Beast. + 

The Beast lived in the big drawing-room. It had four legs and a shiny brown body. And it had a long row of what Vernon had thought when he was very small, to be teeth. Great yellow shining teeth. From his earliest memory, Vernon had been fascinated and terrified by the Beast. For if you irritated the Beast, it made strange noises, an angry growling or a shrill angry wailтБатАФand somehow those noises hurt you more than anything in the world could, they hurt you right down in your inside. They made you shiver and feel sick, and they made your eyes sting and burn, and yet by some strange enchantment, you couldnтАЩt go away. + 

When Vernon had stories read to him about dragons, he always thought of them as like the Beast. And some of the best games with Mr.┬аGreen were where they killed the BeastтБатАФVernon plunging a sword into his brown shining body whilst the hundred children whooped and sang behind. + 

Now that he was a big boy he knew better, of course. He knew that the BeastтАЩs name was Grand Piano, and that when you deliberately attacked its teeth, that was called тАЬplayingtherpianoтАЭ! and that ladies did it after dinner to gentlemen. But in his inmost heart he was still afraid and dreamt sometimes of the Beast pursuing him up the nursery stairsтБатАФand he would wake up screaming. + 

In his dreams the Beast lived in the Forest, and was wild and savage, and the noises it made were too terrible to be borne. + 

Mummy sometimes did тАЬplayingtherpiano,тАЭ and that Vernon could just bear with difficulty. The Beast, he felt, would not really be waked up by what she was doing to it. But the day Aunt Nina played was different. + 

Vernon had been conducting one of his imaginary games in a corner. He and Squirrel and Poodle were having a picnic and eating lobsters and chocolate ├йclairs. + 

His Aunt Nina had not even noticed that he was in the room. She had sat down on the music stool and was playing idly. + 

Fascinated, Vernon crept nearer and nearer. Nina looked at last to see him staring at her, the tears running down his face and great sobs shaking his small body. She stopped. + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs the matter, Vernon?тАЭ + 

тАЬI тАЩate it,тАЭ sobbed Vernon. тАЬI тАЩate it. I тАЩate it. It hurts me here.тАЭ His hands clasped his stomach. + 

Myra came into the room at that minute. She laughed. + 

тАЬIsnтАЩt it odd? That child simply hates music. So very queer.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy doesnтАЩt he go away if he hates it?тАЭ said Nina. + 

тАЬI canтАЩt,тАЭ sobbed Vernon. + 

тАЬIsnтАЩt it ridiculous?тАЭ said Myra. + 

тАЬI think itтАЩs rather interesting.тАЭ + 

тАЬMost children are always wanting to strum on the piano. I tried to show Vernon тАШChopsticksтАЩ the other day, but he wasnтАЩt a bit amused.тАЭ + 

Nina remained staring at her small nephew thoughtfully. + 

тАЬI can hardly believe a child of mine can be unmusical,тАЭ said Myra in an aggrieved voice. тАЬI played quite difficult pieces when I was eight years old.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! well,тАЭ said Nina vaguely. тАЬThere are different ways of being musical.тАЭ + 

Which, Myra thought, was so like the silly sort of thing the Deyre family would say. Either one was musical and played pieces, or one was not. Vernon clearly was not. + 

III + 

NurseтАЩs mother was ill. Strange unparalleled nursery catastrophe. Nurse, very red-faced and grim, was packing with the assistance of Susan Isabel. Vernon, troubled, sympathetic, but above all interested, stood nearby, and out of his interest, asked questions. + 

тАЬIs your mother very old, Nurse? Is she a hundred?тАЭ + 

тАЬOf course not, Master Vernon. A hundred indeed!тАЭ + 

тАЬDo you think she is going to die?тАЭ continued Vernon, longing to be kind and understand. + 

CookтАЩs mother had been ill and died. Nurse did not answer. Instead she said sharply: + 

тАЬThe boot-bags out of the bottom drawer, Susan. Step lively now, my girl.тАЭ + 

тАЬNurse, will your motherтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬI havenтАЩt time to be answering questions, Master Vernon.тАЭ + 

Vernon sat down on the corner of a chintz-covered ottoman and gave himself up to reflection. Nurse had said that her mother wasnтАЩt a hundred, but she must, for all that, be very old. Nurse herself he had always regarded as terribly old. To think that there was a being of superior age and wisdom to Nurse was positively staggering. In a strange way it reduced Nurse herself to the proportions of a mere human being. She was no longer a figure secondary only to God himself. + 

The Universe shiftedтБатАФvalues were readjusted. Nurse, God, and Mr.┬аGreenтБатАФall three receded, becoming vaguer and more blurred. Mummy, his father, even Aunt NinaтБатАФseemed to matter more. Especially Mummy. Mummy was like the princesses with long beautiful golden hair. He would like to fight a dragon for MummyтБатАФa brown shiny dragon like the Beast. + 

What was the wordтБатАФthe magic word? BrumagemтБатАФthat was itтБатАФBrumagem. An enchanting word! The Princess Brumagem! A word to be repeated over to himself softly and secretly at night at the same time as Damn and Corsets. + 

But never, never, never must Mummy hear itтБатАФbecause he knew only too well that she would laughтБатАФshe always laughed, the kind of laugh that made you shrivel up inside and want to wriggle. And she would say thingsтБатАФshe always said things, just the kind of things you hated. тАЬArenтАЩt children too funny?тАЭ + 

And Vernon knew that he wasnтАЩt funny. He didnтАЩt like funny thingsтБатАФUncle Sydney had said so. If only Mummy wouldnтАЩtтБатАКтБатАж + 

Sitting on the slippery chintz he frowned perplexedly. He had a sudden imperfect glimpse of two Mummies. One, the princess, the beautiful Mummy that he dreamt about, who was mixed up for him with sunsets and magic and killing dragonsтБатАФand the otherтБатАФthe one who laughed and who said, тАЬArenтАЩt children too funny?тАЭ Only, of course, they were the same.тБатАКтБатАж + 

He fidgeted and sighed. Nurse, flushed from the effort of snapping to her trunk, turned to him kindly. + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs the matter, Master Vernon?тАЭ + 

тАЬNothing,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

You must always say тАЬNothing.тАЭ You could never tell. Because, if you did, no one ever knew what you meantтБатАКтБатАж + 

IV + 

Under the reign of Susan Isabel, the nursery was quite different. You could be, and quite frequently were, naughty. Susan told you not to do things and you did them just the same! Susan would say: тАЬIтАЩll tell your mother.тАЭ But she never did. + 

Susan had at first enjoyed the position and authority she had in NurseтАЩs absence. Indeed, but for Vernon, she would have continued to enjoy it. She used to exchange confidences with Katie, the under-housemaid. + 

тАЬDonтАЩt know whatтАЩs come over him, IтАЩm sure. HeтАЩs like a little demon sometimes. And him so good and well behaved with Mrs.┬аPascal.тАЭ + 

To which Kate replied: + 

тАЬAh! sheтАЩs a one, she is! Takes you up sharp, doesnтАЩt she?тАЭ + 

And then they would whisper and giggle. + 

тАЬWhoтАЩs Mrs.┬аPascal?тАЭ Vernon asked one day. + 

тАЬWell, I never, Master Vernon! DonтАЩt you know your own NurseтАЩs name?тАЭ + 

So Nurse was Mrs.┬аPascal. Another shock. She had always been just Nurse. It was rather as though you had been told that GodтАЩs name was Mr.┬аRobinson. + 

Mrs.┬аPascal! Nurse! The more you thought of it, the more extraordinary it seemed. Mrs.┬аPascalтБатАФjust like Mummy was Mrs.┬аDeyre and Father was Mr.┬аDeyre. Strangely enough Vernon never cogitated on the possibility of a Mr.┬аPascal. (Not that there was any such person. The Mrs.┬аwas a tacit recognition of NurseтАЩs position and authority.) Nurse stood alone in the same magnificence as Mr.┬аGreen, who, in spite of the hundred children (and Poodle, Squirrel and Tree), was never thought of by Vernon as having a Mrs.┬аGreen attached to him! + 

VernonтАЩs inquiring mind wandered in another direction. + 

тАЬSusan, do you like being called Susan? WouldnтАЩt you like being called Isabel better?тАЭ + 

Susan (or Isabel) gave her customary giggle. + 

тАЬIt doesnтАЩt matter what I like, Master Vernon.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy not?тАЭ + 

тАЬPeople have got to do what theyтАЩre told in this world.тАЭ + 

Vernon was silent. He had thought the same until a few days ago. But he was beginning to perceive that it was not true. You neednтАЩt do as you were told. It all depended on who told you. + 

It was not a question of punishment. He was continually being sat on chairs, stood in the corner, and deprived of sweets by Susan. Nurse, on the other hand, had only had to look at him severely through her spectacles with a certain expression on her face, and anything but immediate capitulation was out of the question. + 

Susan had no authority in her nature, and Vernon knew it. He had discovered the thrill of successful disobedience. Also, he liked tormenting Susan. The more worried and flustered and unhappy Susan got, the more Vernon liked it. He was, as was proper to his years, still in the Stone Age. He savoured the full pleasure of cruelty. + 

Susan formed the habit of letting Vernon go out to play in the garden alone. Being an unattractive girl, she had not WinnieтАЩs reasons for liking the garden. And besides, what harm could possibly come to him? + 

тАЬYou wonтАЩt go near the ponds, will you, Master Vernon?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo,тАЭ said Vernon, instantly forming the intention to do so. + 

тАЬYouтАЩll play with your hoop like a good boy?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes.тАЭ + 

The nursery was left in peace. Susan heaved a sigh of relief. She took from a drawer a paper-covered book entitled The Duke and the Dairymaid. + 

Beating his hoop, Vernon made the tour of the walled fruit garden. Escaping from his control, the hoop leapt upon a small patch of earth which was at the moment receiving the meticulous attentions of Hopkins, the head gardener. Hopkins firmly and authoritatively ordered Vernon from the spot, and Vernon went. He respected Hopkins. + 

Abandoning the hoop, Vernon climbed a tree or two. That is to say, he reached a height of perhaps six feet from the ground, employing all due precautions. Tiring of this perilous sport, he sat astride a branch and cogitated as to what to do next. + 

On the whole, he thought of the ponds. Susan having forbidden them, they had a distinct fascination. Yes, he would go to the ponds. He rose, and as he did so, another idea came into his head, suggested by an unusual sight. + 

The door into the Forest was open! + 

V + 

Such a thing had never happened before in VernonтАЩs experience. Again and again he had secretly tried that door. Always it was locked. + 

He crept up to it cautiously. The Forest! It stood a few steps away outside the door. You could plunge straightway into its cool green depths. VernonтАЩs heart beat faster. + 

He had always wanted to go into the Forest. Here was his chance. Once Nurse came back, any such thing would be out of the question. + 

And still he hesitated. It was not any feeling of disobedience that held him back. Strictly speaking, he had never been forbidden to go in the Forest. His childish cunning was all ready with that excuse. + 

No, it was something else. Fear of the unknownтБатАФof those dark leafy depths. Ancestral memories held him back. + 

He wanted to goтБатАФbut he didnтАЩt want to go. There might be Things thereтБатАФThings like the Beast. Things that came up behind youтБатАФthat chased you screamingтБатАКтБатАж + 

He moved uneasily from one foot to the other. + 

But Things didnтАЩt chase you in the daytime. And Mr.┬аGreen lived in the Forest. Not that Mr.┬аGreen was as real as he used to be. Still, it would be rather jolly to explore and find a place where you would pretend Mr.┬аGreen did live. Poodle, Squirrel, and Tree would each have a house of his ownтБатАФsmall leafy houses. + 

тАЬCome on, Poodle,тАЭ said Vernon to an invisible companion. тАЬHave you got your bow and arrow? ThatтАЩs right. WeтАЩll meet Squirrel inside.тАЭ + 

He stepped out jauntily. Beside him, plain to VernonтАЩs inner eye, went Poodle, dressed like the picture of Robinson Crusoe in his picture book. + 

It was wonderful in the ForestтБатАФdim and dark and green. Birds sang and flew from branch to branch. Vernon continued to talk to his friendтБатАФa luxury he did not dare to permit himself often, since someone might overhear and say, тАЬIsnтАЩt he too funny? HeтАЩs pretending heтАЩs got another little boy with him.тАЭ You had to be so very careful at home. + 

тАЬWeтАЩll get to the Castle by lunch time, Poodle. There are going to be roasted leopards. Oh! Hullo, hereтАЩs Squirrel. How are you, Squirrel? WhereтАЩs Tree?тАЭ + 

тАЬI tell you what. I think itтАЩs rather tiring walking. I think weтАЩll ride.тАЭ + 

Steeds were tethered to an adjacent tree. VernonтАЩs was milk white, PoodleтАЩs was coal blackтБатАФthe colour of SquirrelтАЩs he couldnтАЩt quite decide. + 

They galloped forward through the trees. There were deadly dangerous places, morasses. Snakes hissed at them and lions charged them. But the faithful steeds did all their riders required of them. + 

How silly it was playing in the gardenтБатАФor playing anywhere but here! HeтАЩd forgotten what it was like, playing with Mr.┬аGreen and Poodle, Squirrel and Tree. How could you help forgetting things when people were always reminding you that you were a funny little boy playing make believe. + 

On strutted Vernon, now capering, now marching with solemn dignity. He was great, he was wonderful! What he needed, though he did not know it himself, was a tom-tom to beat whilst he sang his own praises. + 

The Forest! He had always known it would be like this, and it was! In front of him suddenly appeared a crumbling moss-covered wall. The wall of the Castle! Could anything be more perfect? He began to climb it. + 

The ascent was easy enough really, though fraught with the most agreeable and thrilling possibilities of danger. Whether this was Mr.┬аGreenтАЩs Castle, or whether it was inhabited by an Ogre who ate human flesh, Vernon had not yet made up his mind. Either was an entrancing proposition. On the whole he inclined to the latter, being at the moment in a warlike frame of mind. With a flushed face he reached the summit of the wall and looked over the other side. + 

And here there enters into the story, for one brief paragraph, Mrs.┬аSomers West who was fond of romantic solitude (for short periods) and had bought Woods Cottage as being тАЬdelightfully remote from anywhere and really, if you know what I mean, in the very heart of the ForestтБатАФat one with Nature!тАЭ And since Mrs.┬аSomers West, as well as being artistic, was musical, she had pulled down a wall, making two rooms into one and had thus provided herself with sufficient space to house a grand piano. + 

And at the identical moment that Vernon reached the top of the wall, several perspiring and staggering men were slowly propelling the aforesaid grand piano towards the window since it wouldnтАЩt go in by the door. The garden of Woods Cottage was a mere tangle of undergrowthтБатАФwild Nature, as Mrs.┬аSomers West called it. So that all Vernon saw was the Beast! The Beast, alive and purposeful, slowly crawling towards him, malign and vengefulтБатАКтБатАж + 

For a moment he stayed rooted to the spot. Then, with a wild cry, he fled. Fled along the top of the narrow crumbling wall. The Beast was behind him, pursuing himтБатАКтБатАж It was coming, he knew it. He ranтБатАФran faster than everтБатАФHis foot caught in a tangle of ivy. He crashed downwardsтБатАФfallingтБатАФfallingтБатАКтБатАж + 

IV + 

I + 

Vernon woke, after a long time, to find himself in bed. It was, of course, the natural place to be when you woke up, but what wasnтАЩt natural was to have a great hump sticking up in front of you in the bed. It was whilst he was staring at this that someone spoke to him. That someone was Dr.┬аColes, whom Vernon knew quite well. + 

тАЬWell, well,тАЭ said Dr.┬аColes, тАЬand how are we feeling?тАЭ + 

Vernon didnтАЩt know how Dr.┬аColes was feeling. He himself was feeling rather sick and said so. + 

тАЬI dare say, I dare say,тАЭ said Dr.┬аColes. + 

тАЬAnd I think I hurt somewhere,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬI think I hurt very much.тАЭ + 

тАЬI dare say, I dare say,тАЭ said Dr.┬аColes againтБатАФnot very helpfully, Vernon thought. + 

тАЬPerhaps IтАЩd feel better if I got up,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬCan I get up?тАЭ + 

тАЬNot just now, IтАЩm afraid,тАЭ said the doctor. тАЬYou see, youтАЩve had a fall.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬThe Beast came after me.тАЭ + 

тАЬEh? WhatтАЩs that? The Beast? What Beast?тАЭ + 

тАЬNothing,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬA dog, I expect,тАЭ said the doctor. тАЬJumped at the wall and barked. You mustnтАЩt be afraid of dogs, my boy.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm not,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬAnd what were you doing so far from home, eh? No business to be where you were.тАЭ + 

тАЬNobody told me not to,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬHum, hum, I wonder. Well, IтАЩm afraid youтАЩve got to take your punishment. Do you know, youтАЩve broken your leg, my boy?тАЭ + 

тАЬHave I?тАЭ Vernon was gratifiedтБатАФenchanted. He had broken his leg. He felt very important. + 

тАЬYes, youтАЩll have to lie here for a bit, and then it will mean crutches for a while. Do you know what crutches are?тАЭ + 

Yes, Vernon knew. Mr.┬аJobber, the blacksmithтАЩs father, had crutches. And he was to have crutches! How wonderful! + 

тАЬCan I try them now?тАЭ + 

Dr.┬аColes laughed. + 

тАЬSo you like the idea? No, IтАЩm afraid youтАЩll have to wait a bit. And you must try and be a brave boy, you know. And then youтАЩll get well quicker.тАЭ + 

тАЬThank you,тАЭ said Vernon politely. тАЬI donтАЩt think I do feel very well. Can you take this funny thing out of my bed? I think it would be more comfortable then.тАЭ + 

But it seemed that the funny thing was called a cradle, and that it couldnтАЩt be taken away. And it seemed, too, that Vernon would not be able to move about in bed because his leg was all tied up to a long piece of wood. And suddenly it didnтАЩt seem a very nice thing to have a broken leg after all. + 

VernonтАЩs underlip trembled a little. He was not going to cryтБатАФno, he was a big boy and big boys didnтАЩt cry. Nurse said so. And then he knew that he wanted NurseтБатАФwanted her badly. He wanted her reassuring presence, her omniscience, her creaking rustling majesty. + 

тАЬSheтАЩll be coming back soon,тАЭ said Dr.┬аColes. тАЬYes, soon. In the meantime, this nurse is going to look after youтБатАФNurse Frances.тАЭ + 

Nurse Frances moved into VernonтАЩs range of vision and Vernon studied her in silence. She too was starched and crackling; that was all to the good. But she wasnтАЩt big like Nurse. She was thinner than MummyтБатАФas thin as Aunt Nina. He wasnтАЩt sureтБатАКтБатАж + 

And then he met her eyesтБатАФsteady eyes, more green than grey, and he felt, as most people felt, that with Nurse Frances things would be тАЬall right.тАЭ + 

She smiled at himтБатАФbut not in the way that visitors smiled. It was a grave smile, friendly but reserved. + 

тАЬIтАЩm sorry you feel sick,тАЭ she said. тАЬWould you like some orange juice?тАЭ + 

Vernon considered the matter and said he thought he would. Dr.┬аColes went out of the room and Nurse Frances brought him the orange juice in a most curious-looking cup with a long spout. And it appeared that Vernon was to drink from the spout. + 

It made him laugh, but laughing hurt him, and so he stopped. Nurse Frances suggested he should go to sleep again, but he said he didnтАЩt want to go to sleep. + 

тАЬThen I shouldnтАЩt go to sleep,тАЭ said Nurse Frances. тАЬI wonder if you can count how many irises there are on that wall? You can start on the right side, and IтАЩll start on the left side. You can count, canтАЩt you?тАЭ + 

Vernon said proudly that he could count up to a hundred. + 

тАЬThat is a lot,тАЭ said Nurse Frances. тАЬThere arenтАЩt nearly as many irises as a hundred. I guess there are seventy-five. Now what do you guess?тАЭ + 

Vernon guessed that there were fifty. There couldnтАЩt, he felt sure, possibly be more than that. He began to count, but somehow, without knowing it, his eyelids closed and he slept.тБатАКтБатАж + 

II + 

NoiseтБатАКтБатАж noise and painтБатАКтБатАж He woke with a start. He felt hot, very hot and there was a pain all down one side. And the noise was coming nearer. It was the noise that one always connected with MummyтБатАКтБатАж + 

She came into the room like a whirlwind, a kind of cloak affair she wore swinging out behind her. She was like a birdтБатАФa great big birdтБатАФand like a bird, she swooped down upon him. + 

тАЬVernonтБатАФmy darlingтБатАФMummyтАЩs own darling! What have they done to you? How awful! How terrible! My child!тАЭ + 

She was crying. Vernon began to cry too. He was suddenly frightened. Myra was moaning and weeping. + 

тАЬMy little child. All I have in the world. God, donтАЩt take him from me. DonтАЩt take him from me! If he dies, I shall die too!тАЭ + 

тАЬMrs.┬аDeyreтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬVernonтБатАФVernonтБатАФmy babyтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬMrs.┬аDeyreтБатАФplease!тАЭ + 

There was crisp command in the voice rather than appeal. + 

тАЬPlease donтАЩt touch him. You will hurt him.тАЭ + 

тАЬHurt him? I? His mother?тАЭ + 

тАЬYou donтАЩt seem to realize, Mrs.┬аDeyre, that his leg is broken. I must ask you, please, to leave the room.тАЭ + 

тАЬYouтАЩre hiding something from me. Tell meтБатАФtell meтБатАФwill the leg have to be amputated?тАЭ + 

A wail came from Vernon. He had not the least idea what тАЬamputatedтАЭ meant, but it sounded painfulтБатАФand more than painful, terrifying. His wail broke into a scream. + 

тАЬHeтАЩs dying!тАЭ cried Myra. тАЬHeтАЩs dyingтБатАФand they wonтАЩt tell me. But he shall die in my arms.тАЭ + 

тАЬMrs.┬аDeyreтБатАФтАЭ + 

Somehow Nurse Frances had got between his mother and the bed. She was holding his mother by the shoulder. Her voice had the tone that NurseтАЩs had had when speaking to Katie, the under-housemaid. + 

тАЬMrs.┬аDeyre, listen to me. You must control yourself. You must!тАЭ Then she looked up. VernonтАЩs father was standing in the doorway. тАЬMr.┬аDeyre, please take your wife away. I cannot have my patient excited and upset.тАЭ + 

His father noddedтБатАФa quiet understanding nod. He just looked at Vernon once and said: тАЬBad luck, old chap. I broke an arm once.тАЭ + 

The world became suddenly less terrifying. Other people broke legs and arms. His father had hold of his motherтАЩs shoulder, he was leading her towards the door, speaking to her in a low voice. She was protesting, arguing, her voice high and shrill with emotion. + 

тАЬHow can you understand? YouтАЩve never cared for the child like I have. It takes a mother. How can I leave my child to be looked after by a stranger? He needs his mother.тБатАКтБатАж You donтАЩt understand. I love him. ThereтАЩs nothing like a motherтАЩs careтБатАФeveryone says so.тАЭ + 

тАЬVernon darlingтАЭтБатАФshe broke from her husbandтАЩs clasp, came back towards the bedтБатАФтАЬyou want me, donтАЩt you? You want Mummy?тАЭ + 

тАЬI want Nurse,тАЭ sobbed Vernon. тАЬI want Nurse.тАЭ + 

He meant his own Nurse, not Nurse Frances. + 

тАЬOh!тАЭ said Myra. She stood there quivering. + 

тАЬCome, my dear,тАЭ said VernonтАЩs father gently. тАЬCome away.тАЭ + 

She leant against him, and together they passed from the room. Faint words floated back into the room. + 

тАЬMy own child, to turn from me to a stranger.тАЭ + 

Nurse Frances smoothed the sheet and suggested a drink of water. + 

тАЬNurse is coming back very soon,тАЭ she said. тАЬWeтАЩll write to her today, shall we? You shall tell me what to say.тАЭ + 

A queer new feeling surged over VernonтБатАФa sort of odd gratitude. Somebody had actually understood.тБатАКтБатАж + 

III + 

When Vernon, later, was to look back upon his childhood, this one period was to stand out quite clearly from the rest. тАЬThe time I broke my legтАЭ marked a distinct era. + 

He was to appreciate, too, various small incidents that were accepted by him at the time as a matter of course. For instance, a rather stormy interview that took place between Dr.┬аColes and his mother. Naturally this did not take place in VernonтАЩs sick room, but MyraтАЩs raised voice penetrated closed doors. Vernon heard indignant exclamations of тАЬI donтАЩt know what you mean by upsetting him.тБатАКтБатАж I consider I ought to nurse my own child.тБатАКтБатАж Naturally I was distressedтБатАФIтАЩm not one of these people who simply have no heartтБатАФno heart at all. Look at WalterтБатАФnever turned a hair!тАЭ + 

There were many skirmishes, too, not to say pitched battles fought between Myra and Nurse Frances. In these cases Nurse Frances always won, but at a certain cost. Myra Deyre was wildly and furiously jealous of what she called тАЬthe paid nurse.тАЭ She was forced to submit to Dr.┬аColeтАЩs dictums, but she did so with a bad grace and with an overt rudeness that Nurse Frances never seemed to notice. + 

In after years Vernon remembered nothing of the pain and tedium that there must have been. He only remembered happy days of playing and talking as he had never played and talked before. For in Nurse Frances, he found a grown up who didnтАЩt think things тАЬfunnyтАЭ or тАЬquaint.тАЭ Somebody who listened sensibly and who made serious and sensible suggestions. To Nurse Frances he was able to speak of Poodle, Squirrel and Tree, and of Mr.┬аGreen and the hundred children. And instead of saying тАЬWhat a funny game!тАЭ Nurse Frances merely inquired whether the hundred children were girls or boysтБатАФan aspect of the matter which Vernon had never thought of before. But he and Nurse Frances decided that there were fifty of each, which seemed a very fair arrangement. + 

If sometimes, off his guard, he played his make-believe games aloud, Nurse Frances never seemed to notice or to think it unusual. She had the same calm comfortableness of old Nurse about her, but she had something that mattered far more to Vernon, the gift of answering questionsтБатАФand he knew, instinctively, that the answers were always true. Sometimes she would say: тАЬI donтАЩt know that myself,тАЭ or тАЬYou must ask someone else. IтАЩm not clever enough to tell you that.тАЭ There was no pretence of omniscience about her. + 

Sometimes, after tea, she would tell Vernon stories. The stories were never the same two days runningтБатАФone day they would be about naughty little boys and girls, and the next day they would be about enchanted princesses. Vernon liked the latter kind best. There was one in particular that he loved, about a princess in a tower with golden hair and a vagabond prince in a ragged green hat. The story ended up in a forest and it was possibly for that reason that Vernon liked it so much. + 

Sometimes there would be an extra listener. Myra used to come in and be with Vernon during the early afternoon when Nurse Frances had her time off, but VernonтАЩs father used sometimes to come in after tea when the stories were going on. Little by little it became a habit. Walter Deyre would sit in the shadows just behind Nurse FrancesтАЩ chair, and from there he would watch, not his child, but the storyteller. One day Vernon saw his fatherтАЩs hand steal out and close gently over Nurse FrancesтАЩ wrist. + 

And then something happened which surprised him very much. Nurse Frances got up from her chair. + 

тАЬIтАЩm afraid we must turn you out for this evening, Mr.┬аDeyre,тАЭ she said quietly. тАЬVernon and I have things to do.тАЭ + 

This astonished Vernon very much, because he couldnтАЩt think what those things were. He was still more puzzled when his father got up also and said in a low voice: + 

тАЬI beg your pardon.тАЭ + 

Nurse Frances bent her head a little, but remained standing. Her eyes met Walter DeyreтАЩs steadily. He said quietly: + 

тАЬWill you believe that I am really sorry, and let me come tomorrow?тАЭ + 

After that, in some way that Vernon could not have defined, his fatherтАЩs manner was different. He no longer sat so near Nurse Frances. He talked more to Vernon and occasionally they all three played a gameтБатАФusually Old Maid for which Vernon had a wild passion. They were happy evenings enjoyed by all three. + 

One day when Nurse Frances was out of the room, Walter Deyre said abruptly: + 

тАЬDo you like that nurse of yours, Vernon?тАЭ + 

тАЬNurse Frances? I like her lots. DonтАЩt you, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ said Walter Deyre, тАЬI do.тАЭ + 

There was a sadness in his voice which Vernon felt. + 

тАЬIs anything the matter, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬNothing that can be put right. The horse that gets left at the post never has much chance of making goodтБатАФand the fact that itтАЩs the horseтАЩs own fault doesnтАЩt make matters any better. But thatтАЩs double Dutch to you, old man. Anyway, enjoy your Nurse Frances while youтАЩve got her. There arenтАЩt many of her sort knocking about.тАЭ + 

And then Nurse Frances came back and they played Animal Grab. + 

But Walter DeyreтАЩs words had set VernonтАЩs mind to work. He tackled Nurse Frances next morning. + 

тАЬArenтАЩt you going to be here always?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo. Only till you get wellтБатАФor nearly well.тАЭ + 

тАЬWonтАЩt you stay always? IтАЩd like you to.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut you see, thatтАЩs not my work. My work is to look after people who are ill.тАЭ + 

тАЬDo you like doing that?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, very much.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy?тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, you see, everyone has some particular kind of work that they like doing and that suits them.тАЭ + 

тАЬMummy hasnтАЩt.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, yes, she has. Her work is to look after this big house and see that everything goes right, and to take care of you and your father.тАЭ + 

тАЬFather was a soldier once. He told me that if ever there was a war, heтАЩd go and be a soldier again.тАЭ + 

тАЬAre you very fond of your father, Vernon?тАЭ + 

тАЬI love Mummy best, of course. Mummy says little boys always love their mothers best. I like being with Father, of course, but thatтАЩs different. I expect itтАЩs because heтАЩs a man. What shall I be when I grow up, do you think? I want to be a sailor.тАЭ + 

тАЬPerhaps youтАЩll write books.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat about?тАЭ + 

Nurse Frances smiled a little. + 

тАЬPerhaps about Mr.┬аGreen, and Poodle and Squirrel and Tree.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut everyone would say that that was silly.тАЭ + 

тАЬLittle boys wouldnтАЩt think so. And besides, when you grow up, you will have different people in your headтБатАФlike Mr.┬аGreen and the children, only grown-up people. And then you could write about them.тАЭ + 

Vernon thought for a long time, then he shook his head. + 

тАЬI think IтАЩll be a soldier like Father. Most of the Deyres have been soldiers, Mummy says. Of course you have to be very brave to be a soldier, but I think I would be brave enough.тАЭ + 

Nurse Frances was silent a moment. She was thinking of what Walter Deyre had said of his small son. + 

тАЬHeтАЩs a plucky little chapтБатАФabsolutely fearless. DoesnтАЩt know what fear is! You should see him on his pony.тАЭ + 

Yes, Vernon was fearless enough in one sense. He had the power of endurance, too. He had borne the pain and discomfort of his broken leg unusually well for so young a child. + 

But there was another kind of fear. She said slowly after a minute or two: + 

тАЬTell me again how you fell off the wall that day.тАЭ + 

She knew all about the Beast, and had been careful to display no ridicule. She listened now to Vernon and as he finished she said gently: + 

тАЬBut youтАЩve known for quite a long time, havenтАЩt you, that it isnтАЩt a real Beast? That itтАЩs only a thing made of wood and wires.тАЭ + 

тАЬI do know,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬBut I donтАЩt dream it like that. And when I saw it in the garden coming at meтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬYou ran awayтБатАФwhich was rather a pity, wasnтАЩt it? It would have been much better to have stayed and looked. Then youтАЩd have seen the men, and would have known just what it was. ItтАЩs always a good thing to look. Then you can run away afterwards if you still want toтБатАФbut you usually donтАЩt. And Vernon, IтАЩll tell you something else.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes?тАЭ + 

тАЬThings are never so frightening in front of you as they are behind you. Remember that. Anything seems frightening when itтАЩs behind your back and you canтАЩt see it. ThatтАЩs why itтАЩs always better to turn and face thingsтБатАФand then very often you find they are nothing at all.тАЭ + 

Vernon said thoughtfully: тАЬIf IтАЩd turned round I wouldnтАЩt have broken my leg, would I?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo.тАЭ + 

Vernon sighed. + 

тАЬI donтАЩt mind having broken my leg very much. It has been very nice having you to play with.тАЭ + 

He thought Nurse Frances murmured тАЬPoor childтАЭ under her breath, but that, of course, was absurd. She said smiling: + 

тАЬIтАЩve enjoyed it too. Some of my ill people donтАЩt like to play.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou really do like playing, donтАЩt you?тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬSo does Mr.┬аGreen.тАЭ + 

He added rather stiffly, for he felt shy: + 

тАЬPlease donтАЩt go away very soon, will you?тАЭ + 

IV + 

But as it happened, Nurse Frances went away much sooner than she might have done. It all happened very suddenly, as things in VernonтАЩs experience always did. + 

It started very simplyтБатАФsomething that Myra offered to do for Vernon and that he said he would rather have done by Nurse Frances. + 

He was on crutches now for a short and painful time every day, enjoying the novelty of it very much. He soon got tired, however, and was ready to go back to bed. Today his mother had suggested his doing so, saying she would help him. But Vernon had been helped by her before. Those big white hands of hers were strangely clumsy. They hurt where they meant to help. He shrank from her well-meant efforts. He said he would wait for Nurse Frances, who never hurt. + 

The words came out with the tactless honesty of children, and in a minute Myra Deyre was at white heat. + 

Nurse Frances came in two or three minutes later to be received with a flood of reproach. + 

Turning the boy against his own motherтБатАФcruelтБатАФwicked. They were all alikeтБатАФeveryone was against her. She had nothing in the world but Vernon and now he was being turned against her too. + 

So it went onтБатАФa ceaseless stream. Nurse Frances bore it patiently enough without surprise or rancour. Mrs.┬аDeyre, she knew, was that kind of woman. Scenes were a relief to her. And hard words, Nurse Frances reflected with grim humour, can only harm if the utterer is dear to you. She was sorry for Myra Deyre for she realized how much real unhappiness and misery lay behind these hysterical outbursts. + 

It was an unfortunate moment for Walter Deyre to choose to enter the nursery. For a moment or two he stood surprised, then he flushed angrily. + 

тАЬReally, Myra, IтАЩm ashamed of you. You donтАЩt know what youтАЩre saying.тАЭ + 

She turned on him furiously. + 

тАЬI know what IтАЩm saying well enough. And I know what youтАЩve been doing. Slinking in here every dayтБатАФIтАЩve seen you. Always making love to some woman or other. Nursemaids, hospital nursesтБатАФitтАЩs all one to you.тАЭ + 

тАЬMyraтБатАФbe quiet!тАЭ + 

He was really angry now. Myra Deyre felt a throb of fear. But she hurled her last piece of invective. + 

тАЬYouтАЩre all alike, you hospital nurses. Flirting with other womenтАЩs husbands. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Before the innocent child tooтБатАФputting all sorts of things into his head. But youтАЩll go out of my house. Yes, youтАЩll go right outтБатАФand I shall tell Dr.┬аColes what I think of you.тАЭ + 

тАЬWould you mind continuing this edifying scene elsewhere?тАЭ Her husbandтАЩs voice was as she hated it mostтБатАФcold and sneering. тАЬHardly judicious in front of your innocent child, is it? I apologize, Nurse, for what my wife has been saying. Come, Myra.тАЭ + 

She wentтБатАФbeginning to cryтБатАФweakly frightened at what she had done. As usual, she had said more than she meant. + 

тАЬYouтАЩre cruel,тАЭ she sobbed. тАЬCruel. YouтАЩd like me to be dead. You hate me.тАЭ + 

She followed him out of the room. Nurse Frances put Vernon to bed. He wanted to ask questions but she talked of a dog, a big St.┬аBernard, that she had had when she was a little girl and he was so much interested that he forgot everything else. + 

Much later that evening, VernonтАЩs father came to the nursery. He looked white and ill. Nurse Frances rose and came to where he stood in the doorway. + 

тАЬI donтАЩt know what to say. How can I apologizeтБатАФthe things my wife saidтБатАФтАЭ + 

Nurse Frances replied in a quiet matter-of-fact voice: + 

тАЬOh! itтАЩs quite all right. I understand. I think, though, that I had better go as soon as it can be arranged. My being here makes Mrs.┬аDeyre unhappy, and then she works herself up.тАЭ + 

тАЬIf she knew how wide of the mark her wild accusations are. That she should insult youтБатАФтАЭ + 

Nurse Frances laughedтБатАФnot, perhaps, very convincingly. + 

тАЬI always think itтАЩs absurd when people complain about being insulted,тАЭ she said cheerfully. тАЬSuch a pompous word, isnтАЩt it? Please donтАЩt worry or think I mind. You know, Mr.┬аDeyre, your wife isтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬYes?тАЭ + 

Her voice changed. It was grave and sad. + 

тАЬA very unhappy and lonely woman.тАЭ + 

тАЬDo you think that is entirely my fault?тАЭ + 

There was a pause. She lifted her eyesтБатАФthose steady green eyes. + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ she said, тАЬI do.тАЭ + 

He drew a long breath. + 

тАЬNo one else but you would have said that to me. YouтБатАФI suppose itтАЩs courage in you that I admire so muchтБатАФyour absolute fearless honesty. IтАЩm sorry for Vernon that he should lose you before he need.тАЭ + 

She said gravely: тАЬDonтАЩt blame yourself for things you neednтАЩt. This has not been your fault.тАЭ + 

тАЬNurse Frances.тАЭ It was Vernon, eagerly from bed. тАЬI donтАЩt want you to go away. DonтАЩt go away, pleaseтБатАФnot tonight.тАЭ + 

тАЬOf course not,тАЭ said Nurse Frances. тАЬWeтАЩve got to talk to Dr.┬аColes about it.тАЭ + 

Nurse Frances left three days later. Vernon wept bitterly. He had lost the first real friend he had ever had. + 

V + 

I + 

The years from five to nine remained somewhat dim in VernonтАЩs memory. Things changedтБатАФbut so gradually as not to matter. Nurse did not return to her reign over the nursery. Her mother had had a stroke and was quite helpless and she was obliged to remain and look after her. + 

Instead, a Miss Robbins was installed as nursery governess. A creature so extraordinarily colourless that Vernon could never afterwards even recall what she looked like. He must have become somewhat out of hand under her regime for he was sent to school just after his eighth birthday. On his first holidays he found his cousin Josephine installed. + 

On her few visits to Abbots Puissants, Nina had never brought her small daughter with her. Indeed her visits had become rarer and rarer. Vernon, knowing things without thinking about them as children do, was perfectly well aware of two facts. One, that his father did not like Uncle Sydney but was always exceedingly polite to him. Two, that his mother did not like Aunt Nina and did not mind showing it. Sometimes, when Nina was sitting talking to Walter in the garden, Myra would join them and in the momentary pause that nearly always followed, she would say: + 

тАЬI suppose IтАЩd better go away again. I see IтАЩm in the way. No, thank you, Walter [this in answer to a protest, gently murmured], I can see plainly enough when IтАЩm not wanted.тАЭ + 

She would move away, biting her lip, nervously clasping and unclasping her hands, tears in her brown eyes. And, very quietly, Walter Deyre would raise his eyebrows. + 

One day, Nina broke out: тАЬSheтАЩs impossible! I canтАЩt speak to you for ten minutes without an absurd scene. Walter, why did you do it? Why did you do it?тАЭ + 

Vernon remembered how his father had looked round, gazing up at the house, then letting his eyes sweep far afield to where the ruins of the old Abbey just showed. + 

тАЬI cared for the place,тАЭ he said slowly. тАЬIn the blood, I suppose. I didnтАЩt want to let it go.тАЭ + 

There had been a brief silence and then Nina had laughedтБатАФa queer short laugh. + 

тАЬWeтАЩre not a very satisfactory family,тАЭ she said. тАЬWeтАЩve made a pretty good mess of things, you and I.тАЭ + 

There was another pause and then his father had said: тАЬIs it as bad as that?тАЭ + 

Nina had drawn in her breath with a sharp hiss. She nodded. + 

тАЬPretty well. I donтАЩt think, Walter, that I can go on much longer. Fred hates the sight of me. Oh! we behave very prettily in publicтБатАФno one would guessтБатАФbut, my God, when weтАЩre alone!тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, but my dear girlтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

And then, for a while, Vernon heard no more. Their voices were lowered, his father seemed to be arguing with his aunt. Finally his voice rose again. + 

тАЬYou canтАЩt take a mad step like that. ItтАЩs not even as though you cared for Anstey. You donтАЩt.тАЭ + 

тАЬI suppose notтБатАФbut heтАЩs crazy about me.тАЭ + 

His father said something that sounded like Social Ostriches. Nina laughed again. + 

тАЬThat? WeтАЩd neither of us care.тАЭ + 

тАЬAnstey would in the end.тАЭ + 

тАЬFred would divorce meтБатАФonly too glad of the chance. Then we could marry.тАЭ + 

тАЬEven thenтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬWalter on the social conventions! It has its humorous side!тАЭ + 

тАЬWomen and men are very different,тАЭ said VernonтАЩs father dryly. + 

тАЬOh! I knowтБатАФI know. But anythingтАЩs better than this everlasting misery. Of course at the bottom of it all is that I still care for FredтБатАФI always did. And he never cared for me.тАЭ + 

тАЬThereтАЩs the kid,тАЭ said Walter Deyre. тАЬYou canтАЩt go off and leave her?тАЭ + 

тАЬCanтАЩt I? IтАЩm not much of a mother, you know. As a matter of fact IтАЩd take her with me. Fred wouldnтАЩt care. He hates her as much as he hates me.тАЭ + 

There was another pause, a long one this time. Then Nina said slowly: + 

тАЬWhat a ghastly tangle human beings can get themselves into. And in your case and mine, Walter, itтАЩs all our own fault. WeтАЩre a nice family! We bring bad luck to ourselves and to anyone we have anything to do with.тАЭ + 

Walter Deyre got up. He filled a pipe abstractedly, then moved slowly away. For the first time Nina noticed Vernon. + 

тАЬHallo, child,тАЭ she said. тАЬI didnтАЩt see you were there. How much did you understand of all that, I wonder?тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt know,тАЭ said Vernon vaguely, shifting from foot to foot. + 

Nina opened a chain bag, took out a tortoiseshell case and extracted a cigarette which she proceeded to light. Vernon watched her, fascinated. He had never seen a woman smoke. + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs the matter?тАЭ said Nina. + 

тАЬMummy says,тАЭ said Vernon, тАЬthat no nice woman would ever smoke. She said so to Miss Robbins.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! well,тАЭ said Nina. She puffed out a cloud of smoke. тАЬI expect she was quite right. IтАЩm not a nice woman, you see, Vernon.тАЭ + 

Vernon looked at her, vaguely distressed. + 

тАЬI think youтАЩre very pretty,тАЭ he said rather shyly. + 

тАЬThatтАЩs not the same thing,тАЭ NinaтАЩs smile widened. тАЬCome here, Vernon.тАЭ + 

He came obediently. Nina put her hands on his shoulders and looked him over quizzically. He submitted patiently. He never minded being touched by Aunt Nina. Her hands were lightтБатАФnot clutching like his motherтАЩs. + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ said Nina. тАЬYouтАЩre a DeyreтБатАФvery much so. Rough luck on Myra, but there it is.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat does that mean?тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬIt means that youтАЩre like your fatherтАЩs family and not like your motherтАЩsтБатАФworse luck for you.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy worse luck for me?тАЭ + 

тАЬBecause the Deyres, Vernon, are neither happy nor successful. And they canтАЩt make good.тАЭ + 

What funny things Aunt Nina said! She said them half laughingly, so perhaps she didnтАЩt mean them. And yet, somehow, there was something in them that, though he didnтАЩt understand, made him afraid. + 

тАЬWould it be better,тАЭ he said suddenly, тАЬto be like Uncle Sydney?тАЭ + 

тАЬMuch better. Much much better.тАЭ + 

Vernon considered. + 

тАЬBut then,тАЭ he said slowly, тАЬif I was like Uncle SydneyтБатАФтАЭ + 

He stopped, trying to get his thoughts into words. + 

тАЬYes, well?тАЭ + 

тАЬIf I was Uncle Sydney, I should have to live at Larch HurstтБатАФand not here.тАЭ + 

Larch Hurst was a stoutly built red brick villa near Birmingham where Vernon had once been taken to stay with Uncle Sydney and Aunt Carrie. It had three acres of superb pleasure grounds, a rose garden, a pergola, a goldfish tank, and two excellently fitted bathrooms. + 

тАЬAnd wouldnтАЩt you like that?тАЭ asked Nina, still watching him. + 

тАЬNo!тАЭ said Vernon. A great sigh broke from him, heaving his small chest. тАЬI want to live hereтБатАФalways, always, always!тАЭ + 

II + 

Soon after this, something queer happened about Aunt Nina. His mother began to speak of her and his father managed to hush her down with a sideways glance at himself. He only carried away a couple of phrases: тАЬItтАЩs that poor child IтАЩm so sorry for. YouтАЩve only got to look at Nina to see sheтАЩs a Bad Lot and always will be.тАЭ + 

The poor child, Vernon knew, was his cousin Josephine whom he had never seen, but to whom he sent presents at Christmas and duly received them in return. He wondered why Josephine was тАЬpoorтАЭ and why his mother was sorry for her, and also why Aunt Nina was a Bad LotтБатАФwhatever that meant. He asked Miss Robbins, who got very pink and told him he mustnтАЩt talk about тАЬthings like that.тАЭ Things like what? Vernon wondered. + 

However, he didnтАЩt think much more about it, till four months later, when the matter was mentioned once more. This time no one noticed VernonтАЩs presenceтБатАФfeelings were running too high for that. His mother and father were in the middle of a vehement discussion. His mother, as usual, was vociferous, excited. His father was very quiet. + 

тАЬDisgraceful!тАЭ Myra was saying. тАЬWithin three months of running away with one man to go off with another. It shows her up in her true light. I always knew what she was like. Men, men, men, nothing but men!тАЭ + 

тАЬYouтАЩre welcome to any opinion you choose, Myra. ThatтАЩs not the point. I knew perfectly how it would strike you.тАЭ + 

тАЬAnd anyone else too, I should think! I canтАЩt understand you, Walter. You call yourself an old family and all thatтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬWe are an old family,тАЭ he put in quietly. + 

тАЬI should have thought youтАЩd have minded a bit about the honour of your name. SheтАЩs disgraced itтБатАФand if you were a real man youтАЩd cast her off utterly as she deserves.тАЭ + 

тАЬTraditional scene from the melodrama, in fact.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou always sneer and laugh! Morals mean nothing to youтБатАФabsolutely nothing.тАЭ + 

тАЬAt the minute, as IтАЩve been trying to make you understand, itтАЩs not a question of morals. ItтАЩs a question of my sister being destitute. I must go out to Monte Carlo and see what can be done. I should have thought anyone in their senses would see that.тАЭ + 

тАЬThank you. YouтАЩre not very polite, are you? And whose fault is it sheтАЩs destitute, I should like to know? She had a good husbandтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬNoтБатАФnot that.тАЭ + 

тАЬAt any rate, he married her.тАЭ + 

It was his father who flushed this time. He said, in a very low voice: + 

тАЬI canтАЩt understand you, Myra. YouтАЩre a good womanтБатАФa kind, honourable, upright womanтБатАФand yet you can demean yourself to make a nasty mean taunt like that.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs right! Abuse me! IтАЩm used to it! You donтАЩt mind what you say to me.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs not true. I try to be as courteous as I can.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes. And thatтАЩs partly why I hate youтБатАФyou never do say right out. Always polite and sneeringтБатАФyour tongue in your cheek. All this keeping up appearancesтБатАФwhy should one, I should like to know? Why should I care if everyone in the house knows what I feel?тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩve no doubt they doтБатАФthanks to the carrying power of your voice.тАЭ + 

тАЬThere you areтБатАФsneering again. At any rate IтАЩve enjoyed telling you what I think of your precious sister. Running away with one man, going off with a secondтБатАФand why canтАЩt the second man keep her, I should like to know? Or is he tired of her already?тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩve already told you, but you didnтАЩt listen. HeтАЩs threatened with galloping consumptionтБатАФhas had to throw up his job. HeтАЩs no private means.тАЭ + 

тАЬAh! Nina brought her pigs to a bad market that time.тАЭ + 

тАЬThereтАЩs one thing about NinaтБатАФsheтАЩs never been actuated by motives of gain. SheтАЩs a fool, a damned fool or she wouldnтАЩt have got herself into this mess. But itтАЩs always her affections that run away with her common sense. ItтАЩs the deuce of a tangle. She wonтАЩt touch a penny from Fred. Anstey wants to make her an allowanceтБатАФshe wonтАЩt hear of it. And mind you, I agree with her. There are things one canтАЩt do. But IтАЩve certainly got to go and see to things. IтАЩm sorry if it annoys you, but there it is.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou never do anything I want! You hate me! You do this on purpose to make me miserable. But thereтАЩs one thing. You donтАЩt bring this precious sister of yours under this roof while IтАЩm here. IтАЩm not accustomed to meeting that kind of woman. You understand?тАЭ + 

тАЬYou make your meaning almost offensively clear.тАЭ + 

тАЬIf you bring her here, I go back to Birmingham.тАЭ + 

There was a faint flicker in Walter DeyreтАЩs eyes, and suddenly Vernon realized something that his mother did not. He had understood very little of the actual words of the conversation though he had grasped the essentials. Aunt Nina was ill or unhappy somewhere and Mummy was angry about it. She had said that if Aunt Nina came to Abbots Puissants, she would go back to Uncle Sydney at Birmingham. She had meant that as a threatтБатАФbut Vernon knew that his father would be very pleased if she did go back to Birmingham. He knew it quite certainly and uncomprehendingly. It was like some of Miss RobbinsтАЩ punishments, like not speaking for half an hour. She thought you minded that as much as not having jam for tea, and fortunately she had never discovered that you didnтАЩt really mind it at allтБатАФin fact rather enjoyed it. + 

Walter Deyre walked up and down the room. Vernon watched him, puzzled. That his father was fighting out a battle in his own mind, he knew. But he couldnтАЩt understand what it was all about. + 

тАЬWell?тАЭ said Myra. + 

She was rather beautiful just at that momentтБатАФa great big woman, magnificently proportioned, her head thrown back and the sunlight streaming in on her golden red hair. A fit mate for some Viking seafarer. + 

тАЬI made you the mistress of this house, Myra,тАЭ said Walter Deyre. тАЬIf you object to my sister coming to it, naturally she will not come.тАЭ + 

He moved towards the door. There he paused and looked back at her. тАЬIf Llewellyn diesтБатАФwhich seems almost certain, Nina must try to get some kind of a job. Then there will be the child to think of. Do your objections apply to her?тАЭ + 

тАЬDo you think I want a girl in my home who will turn out like her mother?тАЭ + 

His father said quietly: тАЬYes or No would have been quite sufficient answer.тАЭ + 

He went out. Myra stood staring after him. Tears stood in her eyes and began to fall. Vernon did not like tears. He edged towards the doorтБатАФbut not in time. + 

тАЬDarling, come to me.тАЭ + 

He had to come. He was enfoldedтБатАФhugged. Fragments of phrases reiterated in his ears. + 

тАЬYouтАЩll make up to meтБатАФyou, my own boy. You shanтАЩt be like themтБатАФhorrid, sneering. You wonтАЩt fail meтБатАФyouтАЩll never fail meтБатАФwill you? Swear itтБатАФmy boy, my own boy!тАЭ + 

He knew it all so well. He said what was wanted of himтБатАФYes and No in the right places. How he hated the whole business! It always happened so close to your ears. + 

That evening after tea, Myra was in quite another mood. She was writing a letter at her writing table and looked up gaily as Vernon entered. + 

тАЬIтАЩm writing to Daddy. Perhaps, very soon, your Aunt Nina and your cousin Josephine will come to stay. WonтАЩt that be lovely?тАЭ + 

But they didnтАЩt come. Myra said to herself that really Walter was incomprehensible. Just because sheтАЩd said a few things she really didnтАЩt mean.тБатАКтБатАж + 

Vernon was not very surprised, somehow. He hadnтАЩt thought they would come. + 

Aunt Nina had said she wasnтАЩt a nice womanтБатАФbut she was very pretty. + 

VI + 

I + 

If Vernon had been capable of summing up the events of the next few years, he could best have done it in one wordтБатАФscenes! Everlasting and ever-recurring scenes. + 

And he began to notice a curious phenomenon. After each scene his mother looked larger and his father looked smaller. Emotional storms of reproach and invective exhilarated Myra mentally and physically. She emerged from them refreshed, soothedтБатАФfull of good will towards all the world. + 

With Walter Deyre it was the opposite. He shrank into himself, every sensitive fibre in his nature shrinking from the onslaught. The faint polite sarcasm that was his weapon of defence never failed to goad his wife to the utmost fury. His quiet weary self-control exasperated her as nothing else could have done. + 

Not that she was lacking for very real grounds of complaint. Walter Deyre spent less and less time at Abbots Puissants. When he did return his eyes had baggy pouches under them and his hand shook. He took little notice of Vernon, and yet the child was always conscious of an underlying sympathy. It was tacitly understood that Walter should not тАЬinterfereтАЭ with the child. A mother was the person who should have the say. Apart from supervising the boyтАЩs riding, Walter stood aside. Not to do so would have roused fresh matter for discussion and reproach. He was ready to admit that Myra had all the virtues and was a most careful and attentive mother. + 

And yet he sometimes had the feeling that he could give the boy something that she could not. The trouble was that they were both shy of each other. To neither of them was it easy to express their feelingsтБатАФa thing Myra would have found incomprehensible. They remained gravely polite to each other. + 

But when a scene was in progress, Vernon was full of silent sympathy. He knew exactly how his father was feelingтБатАФknew how that loud angry voice hurt the ears and the head. He knew, of course, that Mummy must be rightтБатАФMummy was always right, that was an article of belief not to be questionedтБатАФbut all the same, he was unconsciously on his fatherтАЩs side. + 

Things went from bad to worseтБатАФcame to a crisis. Mummy remained locked in her room for two daysтБатАФservants whispered delightedly in cornersтБатАФand Uncle Sydney arrived on the scene to see what he could do. + 

Uncle Sydney undoubtedly had a soothing influence over Myra. He walked up and down the room, jingling his money as of old, and looking stouter and more rubicund than ever. + 

Myra poured out her woes. + 

тАЬYes, yes, I know,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney, jingling hard. тАЬI know, my dear girl. IтАЩm not saying you havenтАЩt had a lot to put up with. You have. Nobody knows that better than I do. But thereтАЩs give and take, you know. Give and take. ThatтАЩs married life in a nutshellтБатАФgive and take.тАЭ + 

There was a fresh outburst from Myra. + 

тАЬIтАЩm not sticking up for Deyre,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. тАЬNot at all. IтАЩm just looking at the whole thing as a man of the world. Women lead sheltered lives and they donтАЩt look at these things as men doтБатАФquite right that they shouldnтАЩt. YouтАЩre a good woman, Myra, and itтАЩs always hard for a good woman to understand these things. CarrieтАЩs just the same.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat has Carrie got to put up with, I should like to know?тАЭ cried Myra. тАЬYou donтАЩt go off racketing round with disgusting women. You donтАЩt make love to the servants.тАЭ + 

тАЬNтАСno,тАЭ said her brother. тАЬNo, of course not. ItтАЩs the principle of the thing IтАЩm talking about. And mind you, Carrie and I donтАЩt see eye to eye over everything. We have our tiffsтБатАФwhy sometimes we donтАЩt speak to each other for two days on end. But bless you, we make it up again, and things go on better than before. A good row clears the airтБатАФthatтАЩs what I say. But there must be give and take. And no nagging afterwards. The best man in the world wonтАЩt stand nagging.тАЭ + 

тАЬI never nag,тАЭ said Myra tearfully, and believed it. тАЬHow can you say such a thing?тАЭ + 

тАЬNow donтАЩt get the wind up, old girl. IтАЩm not saying you do. IтАЩm just laying down general principles. And remember, DeyreтАЩs not our sort. HeтАЩs kittle cattleтБатАФthe touchy sensitive kind. A mere trifle sets them off.тАЭ + 

тАЬDonтАЩt I know it,тАЭ said Myra bitterly. тАЬHeтАЩs impossible. Why did I ever marry him?тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, you know, Sis, you canтАЩt have it both ways. It was a good match. IтАЩm bound to admit it was a good match. Here you are, living in a swell place, knowing all the county, as good as anybody short of royalty. My word, if poor old Dad had lived, how proud heтАЩd have been! And what IтАЩm getting at is thisтБатАФeverythingтАЩs got its seamy side. You canтАЩt have the halfpence without one or two of the kicks as well. TheyтАЩre decadent, these old families, thatтАЩs what they areтБатАФdecadent, and youтАЩve just got to face the fact. YouтАЩve just got to sum up the situation in a businesslike wayтБатАФadvantages, so-and-so; disadvantages ditto. ItтАЩs the only way. Take my word for it, itтАЩs the only way.тАЭ + 

тАЬI didnтАЩt marry him for the sake of тАШadvantagesтАЩ as you call it,тАЭ said Myra. тАЬI hate this place. I always have. ItтАЩs because of Abbots Puissants he married meтБатАФnot for myself.тАЭ + 

тАЬNonsense, Sis, you were a jolly pretty girlтБатАФand still are,тАЭ he added gallantly. + 

тАЬWalter married me for the sake of Abbots Puissants,тАЭ said Myra obstinately. тАЬI tell you I know it.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, well,тАЭ said her brother. тАЬLetтАЩs leave the past alone.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou wouldnтАЩt be so calm and cold-blooded about it if you were me,тАЭ said Myra bitterly. тАЬNot if you had to live with him. I do everything I can think of to please himтБатАФand he only sneers and treats me like this.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou nag him,тАЭ said Sydney. тАЬOh! yes, you do. You canтАЩt help it.тАЭ + 

тАЬIf only heтАЩd answer back! If heтАЩd say somethingтБатАФinstead of just sitting there.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, but thatтАЩs the kind of fellow he is. You canтАЩt alter people in this world to suit your fancy. I canтАЩt say I care for the chap myselfтБатАФtoo la-di-da for me. Why, if you put him in to run a concern it would be bankrupt in a fortnight! But IтАЩm bound to say heтАЩs always been very polite and decent to me. Quite the gentleman. When IтАЩve run across him in London heтАЩs taken me to lunch at that swell club of his and if I didnтАЩt feel too comfortable there that wasnтАЩt his fault. HeтАЩs got his good points.тАЭ + 

тАЬYouтАЩre so like a man,тАЭ said Myra. тАЬCarrie would understand! HeтАЩs been unfaithful to me, I tell you. Unfaithful!тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, well,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney with a great deal of jingling and his eyes on the ceiling. тАЬMen will be men.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut Syd, you neverтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬOf course not,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney hastily. тАЬOf course notтБатАФof course not. IтАЩm speaking generally, MyraтБатАФgenerally, you understand.тАЭ + 

тАЬItтАЩs all finished,тАЭ said Myra. тАЬNo woman could stand more than IтАЩve stood. And now itтАЩs the end. I never want to see him again.тАЭ + 

тАЬAh!тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. He drew a chair to the table and sat down with the air of one prepared to talk business. тАЬThen letтАЩs get down to brass tacks. YouтАЩve made up your mind? What is it you do want to do?тАЭ + 

тАЬI tell you I never want to see Walter again!тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, yes,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney patiently. тАЬWeтАЩre taking that for granted. Now what do you want? A divorce?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh!тАЭ Myra was taken aback. тАЬI hadnтАЩt thoughtтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬWell, we must get the thing put on a businesslike footing. I doubt if youтАЩd get a divorce. YouтАЩve got to prove cruelty, you know, as well, and I doubt if you could do that.тАЭ + 

тАЬIf you knew the suffering heтАЩs caused meтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬI dare say. IтАЩm not denying it. But you want something more than that to satisfy the law. And thereтАЩs no desertion. If you wrote to him to come back heтАЩd come, I suppose?тАЭ + 

тАЬHavenтАЩt I just told you I never want to see him again?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, yes, yes. You women do harp on a thing so. WeтАЩre looking at the thing from a business point of view now. I donтАЩt think a divorce will wash.тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt want a divorce.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, what do you want, a separation?тАЭ + 

тАЬSo that he could go and live with that abandoned creature in London? Live with her altogether? And what would happen to me, I should like to know?тАЭ + 

тАЬPlenty of nice houses near me and Carrie. YouтАЩd have the boy with you most of the time, I expect.тАЭ + 

тАЬAnd let Walter bring disgusting women into this very house, perhaps? No, indeed, I donтАЩt intend to play into his hands like that!тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, dash it all Myra, what do you want?тАЭ + 

Myra began to cry again. + 

тАЬIтАЩm so miserable, Syd, IтАЩm so miserable. If only Walter were different.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, he isnтАЩtтБатАФand he never will be. You must just make up your mind to it, Myra. YouтАЩve married a fellow whoтАЩs a bit of a Don JooanтБатАФand youтАЩve got to try and take a broadminded view of it. YouтАЩre fond of the chap. Kiss and make friendsтБатАФthatтАЩs what I say. WeтАЩre none of us perfect. Give and takeтБатАФthatтАЩs the thing to rememberтБатАФgive and take.тАЭ + 

His sister continued to weep quietly. + 

тАЬMarriage is a ticklish business,тАЭ went on Uncle Sydney in a ruminative voice. тАЬWomen are too good for us, not a doubt of it.тАЭ + 

тАЬI suppose,тАЭ said Myra in a tearful voice. тАЬOne ought to forgive and forgiveтБатАФagain and again.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs the spirit,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. тАЬWomen are angels and men arenтАЩt, and women have got to make allowances. Always have had to and always will.тАЭ + 

MyraтАЩs sobs grew less. She was seeing herself now in the role of the forgiving angel. + 

тАЬIt isnтАЩt as if I didnтАЩt do everything I could,тАЭ she sobbed. тАЬI run the house and IтАЩm sure nobody could be a more devoted mother.тАЭ + 

тАЬOf course you are,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. тАЬAnd thatтАЩs a fine youngster of yours. I wish Carrie and I had a boy. Four girlsтБатАФitтАЩs a bit thick. Still as I always say to her: тАШBetter luck next time, old girl.тАЩ We both feel sure itтАЩs going to be a boy this time.тАЭ + 

Myra was diverted. + 

тАЬI didnтАЩt know. When is it?тАЭ + 

тАЬJune.тАЭ + 

тАЬHow is Carrie?тАЭ + 

тАЬSuffering a bit with her legsтБатАФswelled, you know. But she manages to get about a fair amount. Why, hallo, hereтАЩs that young shaver. How long have you been here, my boy?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! a long time,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬI was here when you came in.тАЭ + 

тАЬYouтАЩre so quiet,тАЭ complained his uncle. тАЬNot like your cousins. IтАЩm sure the racket they make is almost too much to bear sometimes. WhatтАЩs that youтАЩve got there?тАЭ + 

тАЬItтАЩs an engine,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬNo, it isnтАЩt,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. тАЬItтАЩs a milk cart!тАЭ + 

Vernon was silent. + 

тАЬHey,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. тАЬIsnтАЩt it a milk cart?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬItтАЩs an engine.тАЭ + 

тАЬNot a bit of it. ItтАЩs a milk cart. ThatтАЩs funny, isnтАЩt it? You say itтАЩs an engine and I say itтАЩs a milk cart. I wonder which of us is right?тАЭ + 

Since Vernon knew that he was, it seemed hardly necessary to reply. + 

тАЬHeтАЩs a solemn child,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney turning to his sister. тАЬNever sees a joke. You know, my boy, youтАЩll have to get used to being teased at school.тАЭ + 

тАЬShall I?тАЭ said Vernon, who couldnтАЩt see what that had to do with it. + 

тАЬA boy who can take teasing with a laugh, thatтАЩs the sort of boy who gets on in the world,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney and jingled his money again, stimulated by a natural association of ideas. + 

Vernon stared at him thoughtfully. + 

тАЬWhat are you thinking about?тАЭ + 

тАЬNothing,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬTake your engine on the terrace, dear,тАЭ said Myra. + 

Vernon obeyed. + 

тАЬNow I wonder how much that little chap took in of what we were talking about?тАЭ said Sydney to his sister. + 

тАЬOh! he wouldnтАЩt understand. HeтАЩs too little.тАЭ + 

тАЬHтАЩm,тАЭ said Sydney. тАЬI donтАЩt know. Some children take in a lotтБатАФmy Ethel does. But then sheтАЩs a very wide awake child.тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt think Vernon ever notices anything,тАЭ said Myra. тАЬItтАЩs rather a blessing in some ways.тАЭ + 

II + 

тАЬMummy?тАЭ said Vernon later. тАЬWhatтАЩs going to happen in June?тАЭ + 

тАЬIn June, darling?тАЭ + 

тАЬYesтБатАФwhat you and Uncle Sydney were talking about.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! thatтБатАФтАЭ Myra was momentarily discomposed. тАЬWell, you seeтБатАФitтАЩs a great secret.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes?тАЭ said Vernon eagerly. + 

тАЬUncle Sydney and Aunt Carrie hope that in June they will have a dear little baby boy. A boy cousin for you.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh!тАЭ said Vernon, disappointed. тАЬIs that all?тАЭ + 

After a minute or two, he said: + 

тАЬWhy are Aunt CarrieтАЩs legs swelled?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! wellтБатАФyou seeтБатАФshe has been rather overtired lately.тАЭ + 

Myra dreaded more questions. She tried to remember what she and Sydney had actually said. + 

тАЬMummy?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, dear.тАЭ + 

тАЬDo Uncle Sydney and Aunt Carrie want to have a baby boy?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, of course.тАЭ + 

тАЬThen why do they wait till June? Why donтАЩt they have it now?тАЭ + 

тАЬBecause, Vernon, God knows best. And God wants them to have it in June.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs a long time to wait,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬIf I were God IтАЩd send people things at once, as soon as they wanted them.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou mustnтАЩt be blasphemous, dear,тАЭ said Myra gently. + 

Vernon was silent. But he was puzzled. What was blasphemous? He rather thought that it was the same word Cook had used speaking of her brother. She had said he was a mostтБатАФsomethingтБатАФman and hardly ever touched a drop! She had spoken as though such an attitude was highly commendable. But evidently Mummy didnтАЩt seem to think the same about it. + 

Vernon added an extra prayer that evening to his usual petition of тАЬGod bless Mummy and Daddy and makemeagooboy armen.тАЭ + 

тАЬDear God,тАЭ he prayed. тАЬWill you send me a puppy in JuneтБатАФor July would do if you are very busy.тАЭ + 

тАЬNow why in June?тАЭ said Miss Robbins. тАЬYou are a funny little boy. I should have thought you would have wanted the puppy now.тАЭ + 

тАЬThat would be blamafous,тАЭ said Vernon, and eyed her reproachfully. + 

III + 

Suddenly the world became very exciting. There was a warтБатАФin South AfricaтБатАФand Father was going to it! + 

Everyone was excited and upset. For the first time, Vernon heard of some people called the Boers. They were the people that Father was going to fight. + 

His father came home for a few days. He looked younger and more alive and a great deal more cheerful. He and Mummy were quite nice to each other and there werenтАЩt any scenes or quarrels. + 

Once or twice, Vernon thought, his father squirmed uneasily at some of the things his mother said. Once he said irritably: + 

тАЬFor GodтАЩs sake, Myra, donтАЩt keep talking of brave heroes laying down their lives for their country. I canтАЩt stand that sort of cant.тАЭ + 

But his mother had not got angry. She only said: + 

тАЬI know you donтАЩt like me saying it. But itтАЩs true.тАЭ + 

On the last evening before he left, VernonтАЩs father called to his small son to go for a walk with him. They strolled all round the place, silently at first, and then Vernon was emboldened to ask questions. + 

тАЬAre you glad youтАЩre going to the war, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬVery glad.тАЭ + 

тАЬIs it fun?тАЭ + 

тАЬNot what youтАЩd call fun, I expect. But it is in a way. ItтАЩs excitement, and then, too, it takes you away from thingsтБатАФright away.тАЭ + 

тАЬI suppose,тАЭ said Vernon thoughtfully, тАЬthere arenтАЩt any ladies at the war?тАЭ + 

Walter Deyre looked sharply at his son, a slight smile hovering on his lips. Uncanny, the way the boy sometimes hit the nail on the head quite unconsciously. + 

тАЬThat makes for peace, certainly,тАЭ he said gravely. + 

тАЬWill you kill a good many people, do you think?тАЭ inquired Vernon interestedly. + 

His father replied that it was impossible to tell accurately beforehand. + 

тАЬI hope you will,тАЭ said Vernon, anxious that his father should shine. тАЬI hope youтАЩll kill a hundred.тАЭ + 

тАЬThank you, old man.тАЭ + 

тАЬI suppose,тАЭ began Vernon and then stopped. + 

тАЬYes?тАЭ said Walter Deyre encouragingly. + 

тАЬI supposeтБатАФsometimesтБатАФpeople do get killed in war.тАЭ + 

Walter Deyre understood the ambiguous phrase. + 

тАЬSometimes,тАЭ he said. + 

тАЬYou donтАЩt think you will, do you?тАЭ + 

тАЬI might. ItтАЩs all in the dayтАЩs work, you know.тАЭ + 

Vernon considered the phrase thoughtfully. The feeling that underlay it came dimly to him. + 

тАЬWould you mind if you were, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬIt might be the best thing,тАЭ said Walter Deyre, more to himself than to the child. + 

тАЬI hope you wonтАЩt,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬThank you.тАЭ + 

His father smiled a little. VernonтАЩs wish had sounded so politely conventional. But he did not make the mistake Myra would have done, of thinking the child unfeeling. + 

They had reached the ruins of the Abbey. The sun was just setting. Father and son looked round and Walter Deyre drew in his breath with a little intake of pain. Perhaps he might never stand here again. + 

тАЬIтАЩve made a mess of things,тАЭ he thought to himself. + 

тАЬVernon?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬIf I am killed, Abbots Puissants will belong to you. You know that, donтАЩt you?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, Father.тАЭ + 

Silence again. So much that he would have liked to sayтБатАФbut he wasnтАЩt used to saying things. These were the things that one didnтАЩt put into words. Odd, how strangely at home he felt with that small person, his son. Perhaps it had been a mistake not to have got to know the boy better. They might have had some good times together. He was shy of the boyтБатАФand the boy was shy of him. And yet somehow, they were curiously in harmony. They both of them disliked saying things. + 

тАЬIтАЩm fond of the old place,тАЭ said Walter Deyre. тАЬI expect you will be too.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, Father.тАЭ + 

тАЬQueer to think of the old monksтБатАФcatching their fishтБатАФfat fellows. ThatтАЩs how I always think of themтБатАФcomfortable chaps.тАЭ + 

They lingered a few minutes longer. + 

тАЬWell,тАЭ said Walter Deyre, тАЬwe must be getting home. ItтАЩs late.тАЭ + 

They turned. Walter Deyre squared his shoulders. There was a leavetaking to be got throughтБатАФan emotional one if he knew MyraтБатАФand he rather dreaded it. Well, it would soon be over. Goodbyes were painful thingsтБатАФbetter if one made no fuss about them, but then of course Myra would never see it that way. + 

Poor Myra. SheтАЩd had a rotten deal on the whole. A fine-looking creature, but heтАЩd married her really for the sake of Abbots PuissantsтБатАФand she had married him for love. That was the root of the whole trouble. + 

тАЬLook after your mother, Vernon,тАЭ he said suddenly. тАЬSheтАЩs been very good to you, you know.тАЭ + 

He rather hoped, in a way, that he wouldnтАЩt come back. It would be best so. Vernon had his mother. + 

And yet, at that thought, he had a queer traitorous feeling. As though he were deserting the boyтБатАКтБатАж + 

IV + 

тАЬWalter,тАЭ cried Myra, тАЬyou havenтАЩt said goodbye to Vernon.тАЭ + 

Walter looked across at his son, standing there wide-eyed. + 

тАЬGoodbye, old chap. Have a good time.тАЭ + 

тАЬGoodbye, Father.тАЭ + 

That was all. Myra was scandalizedтБатАФhad he no love for the boy? He hadnтАЩt even kissed him. How queer they wereтБатАФthe Deyres. So casual. Strange, the way they had nodded to each other, across the width of the room. So alike.тБатАКтБатАж + 

тАЬBut Vernon,тАЭ said Myra to herself, тАЬshall not grow up like his father.тАЭ + 

On the walls around her Deyres looked down and smiled sardonically. + 

VII + 

I + 

Two months after his father sailed for South Africa, Vernon went to school. It had been Walter DeyreтАЩs wish and arrangement, and Myra, at the moment, was disposed to regard any wish of his as law. He was her soldier and her hero, and everything else was forgotten. She was thoroughly happy at this time. Knitting socks for the soldiers, urging on energetic campaigns of тАЬwhite feather,тАЭ sympathizing and talking with other women whose husbands had also gone to fight the wicked, ungrateful Boers. + 

She felt exquisite pangs parting with Vernon. Her darlingтБатАФher babyтБатАФto go so far away from her. What sacrifices mothers had to make! But it had been his fatherтАЩs wish. + 

Poor darling, he was sure to be most terribly homesick! She couldnтАЩt bear to think of it. + 

But Vernon was not homesick. He had no real passionate attachment to his mother. All his life he was to be fondest of her when away from her. His escape from her emotional atmosphere was felt by him as a relief. + 

He had a good temperament for school life. He had an aptitude for games, a quiet manner and an unusual amount of physical courage. After the dull monotony of life under the reign of Miss Robbins, school was a delightful novelty. Like all the Deyres, he had the knack of getting on with people. He made friends easily. + 

But the reticence of the child who so often answered тАЬNothingтАЭ clung to him. Except with one or two people, that reticence was to go through life with him. His school friends were people with whom he shared тАЬdoing things.тАЭ His thoughts he was to keep to himself and share with only one person. That person came into his life very soon. + 

On his very first holidays, he found Josephine. + 

II + 

Vernon was welcomed by his mother with an outburst of demonstrative affection. Already rather self-conscious about such things, he bore it manfully. MyraтАЩs first raptures over, she said: + 

тАЬThereтАЩs a lovely surprise for you, darling. Who do you think is here? Your cousin Josephine, Aunt NinaтАЩs little girl. She has come to live with us. Now isnтАЩt that nice?тАЭ + 

Vernon wasnтАЩt quite sure. It needed thinking over. To gain time, he said: + 

тАЬWhy has she come to live with us?тАЭ + 

тАЬBecause her mother has died. ItтАЩs terribly sad for her and we must be very, very kind to her to make up.тАЭ + 

тАЬIs Aunt Nina dead?тАЭ + 

He was sorry Aunt Nina was dead. Pretty Aunt Nina with her curling cigarette smoke. + 

тАЬYes. You canтАЩt remember her, of course, darling.тАЭ + 

He didnтАЩt say that he remembered her perfectly. Why should one say things? + 

тАЬSheтАЩs in the schoolroom, darling. Go and find her and make friends.тАЭ + 

Vernon went slowly. He didnтАЩt know whether he was pleased or not. A girl! He was at the age to despise girls. Rather a nuisance having a girl about. On the other hand, it would be jolly having someone. It depended what the kid was like. One would have to be decent to her if sheтАЩd just lost her mother. + 

He opened the schoolroom door and went in. Josephine was sitting on the windowsill swinging her legs. She stared at him and VernonтАЩs attitude of kindly condescension fell from him. + 

She was a squarely built child of about his own age. She had dead black hair cut very straight across her forehead. Her jaw stuck out a little in a determined way. She had a very white skin and enormous eyelashes. Although she was two months younger than Vernon, she had the sophistication of twice his yearsтБатАФa kind of mixture of weariness and defiance. + 

тАЬHullo,тАЭ she said. + 

тАЬHullo,тАЭ said Vernon, rather feebly. + 

They went on looking at each other, suspiciously, as is the manner of children and dogs. + 

тАЬI suppose youтАЩre my cousin Josephine,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬYes, but youтАЩd better call me Joe. Everyone does.тАЭ + 

тАЬAll rightтБатАФJoe.тАЭ + 

There was a pause. To bridge it, Vernon whistled. + 

тАЬRather jolly, coming home,тАЭ he observed at last. + 

тАЬItтАЩs an awfully jolly place,тАЭ said Joe. + 

тАЬOh! do you like it?тАЭ said Vernon, warming to her. + 

тАЬI like it awfully. Better than any of the places IтАЩve lived.тАЭ + 

тАЬHave you lived in a lot of places?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, yes. At Coombes firstтБатАФwhen we were with Father. And then at Monte Carlo with Colonel Anstey. And then at Toulon with ArthurтБатАФand then a lot of Swiss places because of ArthurтАЩs lungs. And then I went to a convent for a bit after Arthur died. Mother couldnтАЩt be bothered with me just then. I didnтАЩt like it muchтБатАФthe nuns were so silly. They made me have a bath in my chemise. And then after Mother died, Aunt Myra came and fetched me here.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm awfully sorryтБатАФabout your mother, I mean,тАЭ said Vernon awkwardly. + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ said Joe, тАЬitтАЩs rotten in a wayтБатАФthough much the best thing for her.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh!тАЭ said Vernon, rather taken aback. + 

тАЬDonтАЩt tell Aunt Myra,тАЭ said Joe. тАЬBecause I think sheтАЩs rather easily shocked by thingsтБатАФrather like the nuns. You have to be careful what you say to her. Mother didnтАЩt care for me an awful lot, you know. She was frightfully kind and all thatтБатАФbut she was always soppy about some man or other. I heard some people say so in the hotel, and it was quite true. She couldnтАЩt help it, of course. But itтАЩs a very bad plan. I shanтАЩt have anything to do with men when I grow up.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh!тАЭ said Vernon. He was still feeling very young and awkward beside this amazing person. + 

тАЬI liked Colonel Anstey best,тАЭ said Joe reminiscently. тАЬBut of course Mother only ran away with him to get away from Father. We stayed at much better hotels with Colonel Anstey, Arthur was very poor. If I ever do get soppy about a man when I grow up, I shall take care that heтАЩs rich. It makes things so much easier.тАЭ + 

тАЬWasnтАЩt your father nice?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! Father was a devilтБатАФMother said so. He hated us both.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut why?тАЭ + 

Joe wrinkled her straight black brows in perplexity. + 

тАЬI donтАЩt quite know. I thinkтБатАФI think it was something to do with me coming. I think he had to marry Mother because she was going to have meтБатАФsomething like thatтБатАФand it made him angry.тАЭ + 

They looked at each otherтБатАФsolemn and perplexed. + 

тАЬUncle WalterтАЩs in South Africa, isnтАЩt he?тАЭ went on Joe. + 

тАЬYes. IтАЩve had three letters from him at school. Awfully jolly letters.тАЭ + 

тАЬUncle WalterтАЩs a dear. I loved him. He came out to Monte Carlo, you know.тАЭ + 

Some memory stirred in Vernon. Of course, he remembered now. His father had wanted Joe to come to Abbots Puissants then. + 

тАЬHe arranged for me to go to the convent,тАЭ said Joe. тАЬReverend Mother thought he was lovelyтБатАФa true type of highborn English gentlemanтБатАФsuch a funny way of putting it.тАЭ + 

They both laughed a little. + 

тАЬLetтАЩs go out in the garden. Shall we?тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬYes, letтАЩs. I say, I know where there are four different nestsтБатАФbut the birds have all flown away.тАЭ + 

They went out together amicably discussing birdsтАЩ eggs. + 

III + 

To Myra, Joe was a perplexing child. She had nice manners, answered promptly and politely when spoken to, and submitted to caresses without returning them. She was very independent and gave the maid told off to attend to her little or nothing to do. She could mend her own clothes and keep herself neat and tidy without any outside urging. She was, in fact, the sophisticated hotel child whom Myra had never happened to come across. The depths of her knowledge would have horrified and shocked her aunt. + 

But Joe was shrewd and quick-witted, well used to summing up the people with whom she came in contact. She refrained carefully from тАЬshocking Aunt Myra.тАЭ She had for her something closely akin to a kindly contempt. + 

тАЬYour mother,тАЭ she said to Vernon, тАЬis very goodтБатАФbut sheтАЩs a little stupid too, isnтАЩt she?тАЭ + 

тАЬSheтАЩs very beautiful,тАЭ said Vernon hotly. + 

тАЬYes, she is,тАЭ agreed Joe. тАЬAll but her hands. Her hairтАЩs lovely. I wish I had red-gold hair.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt comes right down below her waist,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

He found Joe a wonderful companion, quite unlike his previous conception of тАЬgirls.тАЭ She hated dolls, never cried, was as strong if not stronger than he was, and was always ready and willing for any dangerous sport. Together they climbed trees, rode bicycles, fell and cut and bumped themselves, and ended up by taking a waspsтАЩ nest together, with a success due more to luck than skill. + 

To Joe, Vernon could talk and did. She opened up to him a strange new world, a world where people ran away with other peopleтАЩs husbands and wives, a world of dancing and gambling and cynicism. She had loved her mother with a fierce protective tenderness that almost reversed the roles. + 

тАЬShe was too soft,тАЭ said Joe. тАЬIтАЩm not going to be soft. People are mean to you if you are. Men are beasts anyway, but if youтАЩre a beast to them first, theyтАЩre all right. All men are beasts.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs a silly thing to say, and I donтАЩt think itтАЩs true.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs because youтАЩre going to be a man yourself.тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, it isnтАЩt. And anyway IтАЩm not a beast.тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, but I dare say you will be when youтАЩre grown up.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut, look here, Joe, youтАЩll have to marry someone some day, and you wonтАЩt think your husband a beast.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy should I marry anyone?тАЭ + 

тАЬWellтБатАФgirls do. You donтАЩt want to be an old maid like Miss Crabtree.тАЭ + 

Joe wavered. Miss Crabtree was an elderly spinster who was very active in the village and who was very fond of тАЬthe dear children.тАЭ + 

тАЬI shouldnтАЩt be the kind of old maid Miss Crabtree is,тАЭ she said weakly. тАЬI shouldтБатАФoh! I should do things. Play the violin, or write books, or paint some marvellous pictures.тАЭ + 

тАЬI hope you wonтАЩt play the violin,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬThatтАЩs really what I should like to do best. Why do you hate music so, Vernon?тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt know. I just do. It makes me feel all horrible inside.тАЭ + 

тАЬHow queer. It gives me a nice feeling. What are you going to do when you grow up?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, I donтАЩt know. IтАЩd like to marry someone very beautiful and live at Abbots Puissants and have lots of horses and dogs.тАЭ + 

тАЬHow dull,тАЭ said Joe. тАЬI donтАЩt think that would be exciting a bit.тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt know that I want things to be very exciting,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬI do,тАЭ said Joe. тАЬI want things to be exciting the whole time without ever stopping.тАЭ + 

IV + 

Joe and Vernon had few other children to play with. The Vicar, whose children Vernon had played with when he was younger, had gone to another living, and his successor was unmarried. Most of the children of families in the same position as the Deyres lived too far away for more than a very occasional visit. + 

The only exception was Nell Vereker. Her father, Captain Vereker, was agent to Lord Coomberleigh. He was a tall stooping man, with very pale blue eyes and a hesitating manner. He had good connections but was inefficient generally. His wife made up in efficiency for what he lacked. She was a tall commanding woman, still handsome. Her hair was very golden and her eyes were very blue. She had pushed her husband into the position he held, and in the same way she pushed herself into the best houses of the neighbourhood. She had birth, but like her husband, no money. Yet she was determined to make a success of life. + 

Both Vernon and Joe were bored to death by Nell Vereker. She was a thin pale child with fair straggly hair. Her eyelids and the tip of her nose were faintly tinged with pink. She was no good at anything. She couldnтАЩt run and she couldnтАЩt climb. She was always dressed in starched white muslin and her favourite games were dollsтАЩ tea-parties. + 

Myra was very fond of Nell. тАЬSuch a thorough little lady,тАЭ she used to say. Vernon and Joe were kindly and polite when Mrs.┬аVereker brought Nell to tea. They tried to think of games she would like, and they used to give whoops of delight when at last she departed, sitting up very straight beside her mother in the hired carriage. + 

It was in VernonтАЩs second holidays, just after the famous episode of the waspsтАЩ nest, that the first rumours came about Deerfields. + 

Deerfields was the property adjoining Abbots Puissants. It belonged to old Sir Charles Alington. Some friends of Mrs.┬аDeyreтАЩs came to lunch and the subject came up for discussion. + 

тАЬItтАЩs quite true. I had it from an absolutely authentic source. ItтАЩs been sold to these people.тБатАКтБатАж YesтБатАФJews! Oh! of courseтБатАФenormously wealthy. Yes, a fancy price, I believe. Levinne, the name is.тБатАКтБатАж No, Russian Jews, so I heard.тБатАКтБатАж Oh, of course quite impossible. Too bad of Sir Charles, I say.тБатАКтБатАж Yes, of course, thereтАЩs the Yorkshire property as well and I hear heтАЩs lost a lot of money lately.тБатАКтБатАж No, no one will call. Naturally.тАЭ + 

Joe and Vernon were pleasurably excited. All titbits about Deerfields were carefully stored up. At last the strangers arrived and moved in. There was more talk of the same kind. + 

тАЬOh, absolutely impossible, Mrs.┬аDeyre.тБатАКтБатАж Just as we thought.тБатАКтБатАж One wonders what they think they are doing.тБатАКтБатАж What do they expect?тБатАКтБатАж I dare say theyтАЩll sell the place and move away.тБатАКтБатАж Yes, there is a family. A boy. About your VernonтАЩs age, I believe.тАЭ + 

тАЬI wonder what Jews are like,тАЭ said Vernon to Joe. тАЬWhy does everyone dislike them? We thought one boy at school was a Jew, but he eats bacon for breakfast, so he canтАЩt be.тАЭ + 

The Levinnes proved to be a very Christian brand of Jew. They appeared in church on Sunday, having taken a whole pew. The interest of the congregation was breathless. First came Mr.┬аLevinneтБатАФvery round and stout, tightly frock-coatedтБатАФan enormous nose and a shining face. Then Mrs.тБатАФan amazing sight. Colossal sleeves! Hourglass figure! Chains of diamonds! An immense hat decorated with feathers and black tightly curling ringlets underneath it. With them was a boy rather taller than Vernon with a long yellow face, and protruding ears. + 

A carriage and pair was waiting for them when service was over. They got into it and drove away. + 

тАЬWell!тАЭ said Miss Crabtree. + 

Little groups formed, talking busily. + 

V + 

тАЬI think itтАЩs rotten,тАЭ said Joe. + 

She and Vernon were in the garden together. + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs rotten?тАЭ + 

тАЬThose people.тАЭ + 

тАЬDo you mean the Levinnes?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes. Why should everyone be so horrid about them?тАЭ + 

тАЬWell,тАЭ said Vernon, trying to be strictly impartial, тАЬthey did look queer, you know.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, I think people are beasts.тАЭ + 

Vernon was silent. Joe, a rebel by force of circumstances, was always putting a new point of view before him. + 

тАЬThat boy,тАЭ continued Joe. тАЬI dare say heтАЩs awfully jolly, even though his ears do stick out.тАЭ + 

тАЬI wonder,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬIt would be jolly to have someone else. Kate says theyтАЩre making a swimming pool at Deerfields.тАЭ + 

тАЬThey must be frightfully, frightfully rich,тАЭ said Joe. + 

Riches meant little to Vernon. He had never thought about them. + 

The Levinnes were the great topic of conversation for some time. The improvements they were making at Deerfields! The workmen they had had down from London! + 

Mrs.┬аVereker brought Nell to tea one day. As soon as she was in the garden with the children, she imparted news of fascinating importance. + 

тАЬTheyтАЩve got a motor car.тАЭ + 

тАЬA motor car?тАЭ + 

Motor cars were almost unheard of then. One had never been seen in the Forest. Storms of envy shook Vernon. A motor car! + 

тАЬA motor car and a swimming pool,тАЭ he murmured. + 

It was too much. + 

тАЬItтАЩs not a swimming pool,тАЭ said Nell. тАЬItтАЩs a sunk garden.тАЭ + 

тАЬKate says itтАЩs a swimming pool.тАЭ + 

тАЬOur gardener says itтАЩs a sunk garden.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat is a sunk garden?тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt know,тАЭ confessed Nell. тАЬBut it is one.тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt believe it,тАЭ said Joe. тАЬWhoтАЩd want a silly sort of thing like that when they could have a swimming pool?тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, thatтАЩs what our gardener says.тАЭ + 

тАЬI know,тАЭ said Joe. A wicked look came into her eyes. тАЬLetтАЩs go and see.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat?тАЭ + 

тАЬLetтАЩs go and see for ourselves.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! but we couldnтАЩt,тАЭ said Nell. + 

тАЬWhy not? We can creep up through the woods.тАЭ + 

тАЬJolly good idea,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬLetтАЩs.тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt want to,тАЭ said Nell. тАЬMother wouldnтАЩt like it, I know.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, donтАЩt be a spoilsport, Nell. Come on.тАЭ + 

тАЬMother wouldnтАЩt like it,тАЭ repeated Nell. + 

тАЬAll right. Wait here, then. We wonтАЩt be long.тАЭ + 

Tears gathered slowly in NellтАЩs eyes. She hated being left. She stood there sullenly, twisting her frock between her fingers. + 

тАЬWe wonтАЩt be long,тАЭ Vernon repeated. + 

He and Joe ran off. Nell felt she couldnтАЩt bear it. + 

тАЬVernon!тАЭ + 

тАЬYes?тАЭ + 

тАЬWait for me. IтАЩm coming too.тАЭ + 

She felt heroic as she made the announcement. Joe and Vernon did not seem particularly impressed by it. They waited with obvious impatience for her to come up with them. + 

тАЬNow then,тАЭ said Vernon, тАЬIтАЩm leader. Everyone to do as I say.тАЭ + 

They climbed over the Park palings and reached the shelter of the trees. Speaking in whispers under their breath they flitted through the undergrowth, drawing nearer and nearer towards the house. Now it rose before them, some way ahead to the right. + 

тАЬWeтАЩll have to get farther still and keep a bit more uphill.тАЭ + 

They followed him obediently. And then suddenly a voice broke on their ears, speaking from a little behind them to the left. + 

тАЬYouтАЩre trethpassing,тАЭ it said. + 

They turnedтБатАФstartled. The yellow-faced boy with the large ears stood there. He had his hands in his pockets, and was surveying them superciliously. + 

тАЬYouтАЩre trethpassing,тАЭ he said again. + 

There was something in his manner that awoke immediate antagonism. Instead of saying, as he had meant to say, тАЬIтАЩm sorry,тАЭ Vernon said, тАЬOh!тАЭ + 

He and the other boy looked at each otherтБатАФthe cool measuring glance of two adversaries in a duel. + 

тАЬWe come from next door,тАЭ said Joe. + 

тАЬDo you?тАЭ said the boy. тАЬWell, youтАЩd better go back there. My father and mother donтАЩt want you in here.тАЭ + 

He managed to be unbearably offensive as he said this. Vernon, unpleasantly conscious of being in the wrong, flushed angrily. + 

тАЬYou might manage to speak politely,тАЭ he said. + 

тАЬWhy should I?тАЭ said the boy. + 

He turned as a footstep sounded coming through the undergrowth. + 

тАЬIs that you, Sam?тАЭ he said. тАЬJust turn these trespassing kids off the place, will you?тАЭ + 

The keeper, who had stepped out beside him, grinned and touched his forehead. The boy strolled away, as though he had lost all interest. The keeper turned to the children and put on a ferocious scowl. + 

тАЬOut of it, you young varmints! IтАЩll turn the dogs loose on you unless youтАЩre out of here in double quick time.тАЭ + 

тАЬWeтАЩre not afraid of dogs,тАЭ said Vernon haughtily, as he turned to depart. + 

тАЬHo, youтАЩre not, hтАЩarenтАЩt you? Well, then, IтАЩve got a rhinoHoceras here and IтАЩm a-going to loose that this minute.тАЭ + 

He stalked off. Nell gave a terrified pull at VernonтАЩs arm. + 

тАЬHeтАЩs gone to get it,тАЭ she cried. тАЬOh! hurryтБатАФhurry!тАЭ + 

Her alarm was contagious. So much had been retailed about the Levinnes that the keeperтАЩs threat seemed a perfectly likely one to the children. With one accord they ran for home. They plunged in a beeline, pushing their way through the undergrowth. Vernon and Joe led. A piteous cry arose from Nell. + 

тАЬVernonтБатАФVernon! Oh! do wait. IтАЩve got stuck.тАЭ + 

What a nuisance Nell was! She couldnтАЩt run or do anything. He turned back, gave her frock a vigorous pull to free it from the brambles with which it was entangled (a good deal to the frockтАЩs detriment), and hauled her to her feet. + 

тАЬCome on, do.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm so out of breath. I canтАЩt run any more. Oh! Vernon, IтАЩm so frightened.тАЭ + 

тАЬCome on.тАЭ + 

Hand in hand he pulled her along. They reached the Park palings, scrambled over.тБатАКтБатАж + 

VI + 

тАЬWeтАСell,тАЭ said Joe, fanning herself with a very dirty linen hat. тАЬThat was an adventure.тАЭ + 

тАЬMy frockтАЩs all torn,тАЭ said Nell. тАЬWhat shall I do?тАЭ + 

тАЬI hate that boy,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬHeтАЩs a beast.тАЭ + 

тАЬHeтАЩs a beastly beast,тАЭ agreed Joe. тАЬWeтАЩll declare war on him. Shall we?тАЭ + 

тАЬRather!тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat shall I do about my frock?тАЭ + 

тАЬItтАЩs very awkward their having a rhinoceros,тАЭ said Joe thoughtfully. тАЬDo you think Tom Boy would go for it if we trained him to?тАЭ + 

тАЬI shouldnтАЩt like Tom Boy to be hurt,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

Tom Boy was the stable dog, a great favourite of his. His mother had always vetoed a dog in the house, so Tom Boy was the nearest Vernon had got to having a dog of his own. + 

тАЬI donтАЩt know what Mother will say about my frock.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, bother your frock, Nell! ItтАЩs not the sort of frock for playing in the garden, anyway.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩll tell your mother itтАЩs my fault,тАЭ said Vernon impatiently. тАЬDonтАЩt be so like a girl.тАЭ + 

тАЬI am a girl,тАЭ said Nell. + 

тАЬWell, so is Joe a girl. But she doesnтАЩt go on like you do. SheтАЩs as good as a boy any day.тАЭ + 

Nell looked ready to cry, but at that minute they were called from the house. + 

тАЬIтАЩm sorry, Mrs.┬аVereker,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬIтАЩm afraid IтАЩve torn NellтАЩs frock.тАЭ + 

There were reproaches from Myra, civil disclaimers from Mrs.┬аVereker. When Nell and her mother had gone, Myra said: + 

тАЬYou must not be so rough, Vernon darling. When a little girl friend comes to tea, you must take great care of her.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy have we got to have her to tea? We donтАЩt like her. She spoils everything.тАЭ + 

тАЬVernon! Nell is such a dear little girl.тАЭ + 

тАЬShe isnтАЩt, Mother. SheтАЩs awful.тАЭ + 

тАЬVernon!тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, she is. I donтАЩt like her mother either.тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt like Mrs.┬аVereker much,тАЭ said Myra. тАЬI always think sheтАЩs a very hard woman. But I canтАЩt think why you children donтАЩt like Nell. Mrs.┬аVereker tells me sheтАЩs absolutely devoted to you, Vernon.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, I donтАЩt want her to be.тАЭ + 

He escaped with Joe. + 

тАЬWar,тАЭ he said. тАЬThatтАЩs what it isтБатАФwar! I dare say that Levinne boy is really a Boer in disguise. We must plan out our campaign. Why should he come and live next door to us and spoil everything?тАЭ + 

The kind of guerilla warfare that followed occupied Vernon and Joe in a most pleasurable fashion. They invented all kinds of methods of harassing the enemy. Concealed in trees, they pelted him with chestnuts. They stalked him with pea-shooters. They outlined a hand in red paint and crept secretly up to the house one night after dark, and left it on the doorstep with the word тАЬRevengeтАЭ printed at the bottom of the sheet of paper. + 

Sometimes their enemy retaliated in kind. He, too, had a pea-shooter and it was he who laid in wait for them one day with a garden hose. + 

Hostilities had been going on for nearly ten days when Vernon came upon Joe sitting on a tree stump looking unusually despondent. + 

тАЬHullo! WhatтАЩs up? I thought you were going to stalk the enemy with those squashy tomatoes Cook gave us.тАЭ + 

тАЬI was. I mean I did.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs the matter, Joe?тАЭ + 

тАЬI was up a tree and he came right by underneath. I could have got him beautifully.тАЭ + 

тАЬDo you mean to say you didnтАЩt?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy ever not?тАЭ + 

JoeтАЩs face became very red, and she began to speak very fast. + 

тАЬI couldnтАЩt. You see, he didnтАЩt know I was there, and he lookedтБатАФoh! Vernon, he looked so awfully lonelyтБатАФas though he were simply hating things. You know, it must be pretty beastly having no one to do things with.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, butтБатАФтАЭ + 

Vernon paused to adjust his ideas. + 

тАЬDonтАЩt you remember how we said it was all rotten?тАЭ went on Joe. тАЬPeople being so beastly about the Levinnes, and now weтАЩre being as beastly as anyone.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, but he was beastly to us!тАЭ + 

тАЬPerhaps he didnтАЩt mean to be.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs nonsense.тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, it isnтАЩt. Look at the way dogs bite you if theyтАЩre afraid or suspicious. I expect he just expected us to be beastly to him, and wanted to start first. LetтАЩs be friends.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou canтАЩt be in the middle of a war.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, you can. WeтАЩll make a white flag, and then you march with it and demand a parley, and see if you canтАЩt agree upon honourable terms of peace.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell,тАЭ said Vernon, тАЬI donтАЩt mind if we do. It would be a change, anyway. What shall we use for a flag of truceтБатАФmy handkerchief or your pinafore?тАЭ + 

Marching with the flag of truce was rather exciting. It was not long before they encountered the enemy. He stared in complete surprise. + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs up?тАЭ he said. + 

тАЬWe want a parley,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬWell, IтАЩm agreeable,тАЭ said the other boy, after a momentтАЩs pause. + 

тАЬWhat we want to say is this,тАЭ said Joe. тАЬIf youтАЩll agree, weтАЩd like to be friends.тАЭ + 

They looked from one to the other. + 

тАЬWhy do you want to be friends?тАЭ he asked suspiciously. + 

тАЬIt seems a bit silly,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬLiving next door and not being friends, doesnтАЩt it?тАЭ + 

тАЬWhich of you thought of that first?тАЭ + 

тАЬI did,тАЭ said Joe. + 

She felt those small jet black eyes boring into her. What a queer boy he was. His ears seemed to stick out more than ever. + 

тАЬAll right,тАЭ said the boy. тАЬIтАЩd like to.тАЭ + 

There was a minuteтАЩs embarrassed pause. + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs your name?тАЭ said Joe. + 

тАЬSebastian.тАЭ + 

There was just the faintest lisp, so little as hardly to be noticed. + 

тАЬWhat a funny name. MineтАЩs Joe and this is Vernon. HeтАЩs at school. Do you go to school?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes. IтАЩm going to Eton later.тАЭ + 

тАЬSo am I,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

Again a faint tide of hostility rose between them. Then it ebbed awayтБатАФnever to return. + 

тАЬCome and see our swimming pool,тАЭ said Sebastian. тАЬItтАЩs rather jolly.тАЭ + 

VIII + 

I + 

The friendship with Sebastian Levinne prospered and throve apace. Half the zest of it lay in the secrecy that had to be adopted. VernonтАЩs mother would have been horrified if she had guessed at anything of the kind. The Levinnes would certainly not have been horrifiedтБатАФbut their gratification might have led to equally dire results. + 

School time passed on leaden wings for poor Joe, cooped up with a daily governess, who arrived every morning, and who subtly disapproved of her outspoken and rebellious pupil. Joe only lived for the holidays. As soon as they came, she and Vernon would set off to a secret meeting place where there was a convenient gap in a hedge. They had invented a code of whistles and many unnecessary signals. Sometimes Sebastian would be there before timeтБатАФlying on the brackenтБатАФhis yellow face and jutting out ears looking strangely at variance with his knickerbocker suit. + 

They played games, but they also talkedтБатАФhow they talked! Sebastian told them stories of Russia. They learnt of the persecution of JewsтБатАФof pogroms! Sebastian himself had never been in Russia, but he had lived for years amongst other Russian Jews and his own father had narrowly escaped with his life in a pogrom. Sometimes he would say sentences in Russian to please Vernon and Joe. It was all entrancing. + 

тАЬEverybody hates us down here,тАЭ said Sebastian. тАЬBut it doesnтАЩt matter. They wonтАЩt be able to do without us because my father is so rich. You can buy everything with money.тАЭ + 

He had a certain queer arrogance about him. + 

тАЬYou canтАЩt buy everything,тАЭ objected Vernon. тАЬOld NicollтАЩs son has come home from the war without a leg. Money couldnтАЩt make his leg grow again.тАЭ + 

тАЬNo,тАЭ admitted Sebastian. тАЬI didnтАЩt mean things like that. But money would get you a very good wooden leg, and the best kind of crutches.тАЭ + 

тАЬI had crutches once,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬIt was rather fun. And I had an awfully nice nurse to look after me.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou see, you couldnтАЩt have had that if you hadnтАЩt been rich.тАЭ + 

Was he rich? He supposed he was. HeтАЩd never thought about it. + 

тАЬI wish I was rich,тАЭ said Joe. + 

тАЬYou can marry me when you grow up,тАЭ said Sebastian, тАЬand then you will be.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt wouldnтАЩt be nice for Joe if nobody came to see her,тАЭ objected Vernon. + 

тАЬI wouldnтАЩt mind that a bit,тАЭ said Joe. тАЬI wouldnтАЩt care what Aunt Myra or anybody said. IтАЩd marry Sebastian if I wanted to.тАЭ + 

тАЬPeople will come and see her then,тАЭ said Sebastian. тАЬYou donтАЩt realize. Jews are frightfully powerful. My father says people canтАЩt do without them. ThatтАЩs why Sir Charles Alington had to sell us Deerfields.тАЭ + 

A sudden chill came over Vernon. He felt without putting the thought into words that he was talking to a member of an enemy race. But he felt no antagonism towards Sebastian. That was over long ago. He and Sebastian were friendsтБатАФsomehow he was sure they always would be. + 

тАЬMoney,тАЭ said Sebastian, тАЬisnтАЩt just buying things. ItтАЩs ever so much more than that. And it isnтАЩt only having power over people. ItтАЩsтБатАФitтАЩsтБатАФbeing able to get together lots of beauty.тАЭ + 

He made a queer un-English gesture with his hands. + 

тАЬWhat do you mean,тАЭ said Vernon, тАЬby get together?тАЭ + 

Sebastian didnтАЩt know what he meant. The words had just come. + 

тАЬAnyway,тАЭ said Vernon, тАЬthings arenтАЩt beauty.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, they are. Deerfields is beautifulтБатАФbut not nearly so beautiful as Abbots Puissants.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhen Abbots Puissants belongs to me,тАЭ said Vernon, тАЬyou can come and stay there as much as ever you like. WeтАЩre always going to be friends, arenтАЩt we? No matter what anyone says?тАЭ + 

тАЬWeтАЩre always going to be friends,тАЭ said Sebastian. + 

II + 

Little by little the Levinnes made headway. The church needed a new organтБатАФMr.┬аLevinne presented it with one. Deerfields was thrown open on the occasion of the choir boysтАЩ outing, and strawberries and cream provided. A large donation was given to the Primrose League. Turn where you would, you came up against the opulence and the kindness of the Levinnes. + 

People began to say: тАЬOf course theyтАЩre impossibleтБатАФbut Mrs.┬аLevinne is wonderfully kind.тАЭ + 

And they said other things. + 

тАЬOh, of courseтБатАФJews! But perhaps it is absurd of one to be prejudiced. Some very good people have been Jews.тАЭ + 

It was rumoured that the Vicar had said: тАЬIncluding Jesus Christ,тАЭ in answer. But nobody really believed that. The Vicar was unmarried, which was very unusual, and had odd ideas about Holy Communion, and sometimes preached very incomprehensible sermons, but nobody believed that he would have said anything really sacrilegious. + 

It was the Vicar who introduced Mrs.┬аLevinne to the Sewing Circle which met twice a week to provide comforts for our brave soldiers in South Africa. And meeting her twice a week there certainly made it awkward. + 

In the end, Lady Coomberleigh, softened by the immense donation to the Primrose League, took the plunge and called. And where Lady Coomberleigh led, everybody followed. + 

Not that the Levinnes were ever admitted to intimacy. But they were officially accepted, and people were heard saying: + 

тАЬSheтАЩs a very kind womanтБатАФeven if she does wear impossible clothes for the country.тАЭ + 

But that, too, followed. Mrs.┬аLevinne was adaptable like all her race. A very short time elapsed before she appeared in even tweedier tweeds than her neighbourтАЩs. + 

Joe and Vernon were solemnly bidden to tea with Sebastian Levinne. + 

тАЬWe must go this once, I suppose,тАЭ said Myra, sighing. тАЬBut we need never get really intimate. What a queer-looking boy he is. You wonтАЩt be rude to him, will you, Vernon, darling?тАЭ + 

The children solemnly made the official acquaintance of Sebastian. It amused them very much. + 

But the sharp-witted Joe fancied that Mrs.┬аLevinne knew more about their friendship than Aunt Myra did. Mrs.┬аLevinne wasnтАЩt a fool. She was like Sebastian. + 

III + 

Walter Deyre was killed a few weeks before the war ended. His end was a gallant one. He was shot when going back to rescue a wounded comrade under heavy fire. He was awarded a posthumous V.C., and the letter his colonel wrote to Myra was treasured by her as her dearest possession. + 

Never [wrote the colonel] have I known anyone so fearless of danger. His men adored him and would have followed him anywhere. He has risked his life again and again in the gallantest way. You can indeed be proud of him. + 

Myra read that letter again and again. She read it to all her friends. It wiped away the faint sting that her husband had left no last word or letter for her. + 

тАЬBut being a Deyre, he wouldnтАЩt,тАЭ she said to herself. + 

Yet Walter Deyre had left a letter тАЬin case I should be killed.тАЭ But it was not to Myra and she never knew of it. She was grief-stricken, but happy. Her husband was hers in death as he had never been in life, and with her easy power of making things as she wished them to be, she began to weave a convincing romance of her wonderfully happy married life. + 

It is difficult to say how Vernon was affected by his fatherтАЩs death. He felt no actual griefтБатАФwas rendered even more stolid by his motherтАЩs obvious wish for him to display emotion. He was proud of his fatherтБатАФso proud that it almost hurtтБатАФyet he understood what Joe had meant when she said that it was better for her mother to be dead. He remembered very clearly that last evening walk with his fatherтБатАФthe things he had saidтБатАФthe feeling there had been between them. + 

His father, he knew, hadnтАЩt really wanted to come back. He was sorry for his fatherтБатАФhe always had been. He didnтАЩt know why. + 

It was not grief he felt for his fatherтБатАФit was more a kind of heart-gripping loneliness. Father was deadтБатАФAunt Nina was dead. There was Mother, of course, but that was different. + 

He couldnтАЩt satisfy his motherтБатАФhe never had been able to. She was always hugging him, crying over him, telling him they must be all in all to each other now. And he couldnтАЩt, he just couldnтАЩt, say the things she wanted him to say. He couldnтАЩt even put his arms round her neck and hug her back. + 

He longed for the holidays to be over. His mother, with her red eyes, and her widowтАЩs weeds of the heaviest crapeтБатАФsomehow she overpowered things. + 

Mr.┬аFlemming, the lawyer from London, came down to stay, and Uncle Sydney came from Birmingham. He stayed two days. At the end of them, Vernon was summoned to the library. + 

The two men were sitting at the long table. Myra was sitting in a low chair by the fire, her handkerchief to her eyes. + 

тАЬWell, my boy,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney, тАЬweтАЩve got something to talk to you about. How would you like to come and live near your Aunt Carrie and me at Birmingham?тАЭ + 

тАЬThank you,тАЭ said Vernon, тАЬbut IтАЩd rather live here.тАЭ + 

тАЬA bit gloomy, donтАЩt you think?тАЭ said his uncle. тАЬNow IтАЩve got my eye on a jolly houseтБатАФnot too big, thoroughly comfortable. ThereтАЩll be your cousins near for you to play with in the holidays. ItтАЩs a very good idea, I think.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm sure it is,тАЭ said Vernon politely. тАЬBut IтАЩd really like being here best, thank you.тАЭ + 

тАЬAh! HтАЩm,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. He blew his nose and looked questioningly at the lawyer, who assented to the look with a slight nod. + 

тАЬItтАЩs not quite so simple as that, old chap,тАЭ said Uncle Sydney. тАЬI think youтАЩre quite old enough to understand if I explain things to you. Now that your fatherтАЩs deadтБатАФerтБатАФpassed from us, Abbots Puissants belongs to you.тАЭ + 

тАЬI know,тАЭ said Vernon. + 

тАЬEh? How do you know? Servants been talking?тАЭ + 

тАЬFather told me before he went away.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh!тАЭ said Uncle Sydney rather taken aback. тАЬOh, I see. Well, as I say, Abbots Puissants belongs to you, but a place like this takes a lot of money to runтБатАФpaying wages and things like thatтБатАФyou understand? And then there are some things called Death Duties. When anyone dies, you have to pay out a lot of money to the Government. + 

тАЬNow, your father wasnтАЩt a rich man. When his father died, and he came into this place, he had so little money that he thought heтАЩd have to sell it.тАЭ + 

тАЬSell it?тАЭ burst out Vernon incredulously. + 

тАЬYes, itтАЩs not entailed.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs entailed?тАЭ + 

Mr.┬аFlemming explained carefully and clearly. + 

тАЬButтБатАФbutтБатАФyou arenтАЩt going to sell it now?тАЭ + 

Vernon gazed at him with agonizing, imploring eyes. + 

тАЬCertainly not,тАЭ said Mr.┬аFlemming. тАЬThe estate is left to you, and nothing can be done until you are of ageтБатАФthat means twenty-one, you know.тАЭ + 

Vernon breathed a sigh of relief. + 

тАЬBut, you see,тАЭ continued Uncle Sydney, тАЬthere isnтАЩt enough money to go on living here. As I say, your father would have had to sell it. But he met your mother and married her, and fortunately she had enough money toтБатАФto keep things going. But your fatherтАЩs death has made a lot of difference. For one thing, he has left certainтБатАФerтБатАФdebts which your mother insists on paying.тАЭ + 

There was a sniff from Myra. Uncle SydneyтАЩs tone was embarrassed and he hurried on. + 

тАЬThe commonsense thing to do is to let Abbots Puissants for a term of yearsтБатАФtill you are twenty-one, in fact. By then, who knows? Things mayтБатАФerтБатАФchange for the better. Naturally your mother will be happier living near her own relations. You must think of your mother, you know, my boy.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬFather told me to.тАЭ + 

тАЬSo thatтАЩs settledтБатАФeh?тАЭ + 

How cruel they were, thought Vernon. Asking himтБатАФwhen he could see that there was nothing to ask him about. They could do as they liked. They meant to. Why call him in here and pretend! + 

Strangers would come and live in Abbots Puissants. + 

Never mind! Some day he would be twenty-one. + 

тАЬDarling,тАЭ said Myra, тАЬIтАЩm doing it all for you. It would be so sad here without Daddy, wouldnтАЩt it?тАЭ + 

She held out her arms, but Vernon pretended not to notice. He walked out of the room, saying with difficulty: + 

тАЬThank you, Uncle Sydney, so much, for telling me.тАЭ + 

IV + 

He went out into the garden and wandered on till he came to the old Abbey. He sat down with his chin in his hands. + 

тАЬMother could!тАЭ he said to himself. тАЬIf she liked, she could! She wants to go and live in a horrid red brick house with pipes on it like Uncle SydneyтАЩs. She doesnтАЩt like Abbots PuissantsтБатАФshe never has. But she neednтАЩt pretend itтАЩs all for me. ThatтАЩs not true. She says things that arenтАЩt true. She always has.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

He sat there smouldering with indignation. + 

тАЬVernonтБатАФVernonтБатАФIтАЩve been looking for you everywhere. I couldnтАЩt think what had become of you. WhatтАЩs the matter?тАЭ + 

It was Joe. He told her. Here was someone who would understand and sympathize. But Joe startled him. + 

тАЬWell, why not? Why shouldnтАЩt Aunt Myra go and live in Birmingham if she wants to? I think youтАЩre beastly. Why should she go on living here just so that you should be here in the holidays? ItтАЩs her money. Why shouldnтАЩt she spend it on doing as she likes?тАЭ + 

тАЬBut Joe, Abbots PuissantsтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬWell, whatтАЩs Abbots Puissants to Aunt Myra? In her heart of hearts she feels about it just like you feel about Uncle SydneyтАЩs house in Birmingham. Why should she pinch and scrape to live here if she doesnтАЩt want to? If your father had made her happier here, perhaps she would want toтБатАФbut he didnтАЩt. Mother said so once. I donтАЩt like Aunt Myra terriblyтБатАФI know sheтАЩs good and all that, but I donтАЩt love herтБатАФbut I can be fair. ItтАЩs her money. You canтАЩt get away from that!тАЭ + 

Vernon looked at her. They were antagonists. Each had their point of view and neither could see the otherтАЩs. They were both ablaze with indignation. + 

тАЬI think women have a rotten time,тАЭ said Joe. тАЬAnd IтАЩm on Aunt MyraтАЩs side.тАЭ + 

тАЬAll right,тАЭ said Vernon, тАЬbe on her side! I donтАЩt care.тАЭ + 

Joe went away. He stayed there, sitting on the ruined wall of the old Abbey. + 

For the first time he questioned lifeтБатАКтБатАж Things werenтАЩt sure. How could you tell what was going to happen? + 

When he was twenty-one. + 

Yes, but you couldnтАЩt be sure! You couldnтАЩt be safe! + 

Look at the time when he was a baby. Nurse, God, Mr.┬аGreen! How absolutely fixed they had seemed. And now they had all gone. + 

At least, God was still there, he supposed. But it wasnтАЩt the same GodтБатАФnot the same God at all. + 

What would have happened to everything by the time he was twenty-one? What, strangest thought of all, would have happened to himself? + 

He felt terribly alone. Father, Aunt NinaтБатАФboth dead. Only Uncle Sydney and MummyтБатАФand they werenтАЩtтБатАФdidnтАЩtтБатАФbelong. He paused, confused. There was Joe! Joe understood. But Joe was queer about some things. + 

He clenched his hands. No, everything would be all right. + 

When he was twenty-oneтБатАКтБатАж + 