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