IV
I
On a day in July Sebastian Levinne walked along the Embankment in the direction of JaneтАЩs flat. It was a day more suggestive of early spring than of summer. A cold wind blew the dust in his face and made him blink.
There was a change visible in Sebastian. He had grown perceptibly older. There was very little of the boy about him nowтБатАФthere never had been much. He had always had that curious maturity of outlook which is the Semitic inheritance. As he walked along now, frowning to himself and pondering, he would easily have been taken for a man over thirty.
Jane herself opened the door of the flat to him. She spoke in a low, unusually husky voice.
тАЬVernonтАЩs out. He couldnтАЩt wait for you. You said three, you know, and itтАЩs past four now.тАЭ
тАЬI was kept. Just as well, perhaps. IтАЩm never quite sure of the best way of dealing with VernonтАЩs nerves.тАЭ
тАЬDonтАЩt tell me any fresh crises have arisen? I couldnтАЩt bear it.тАЭ
тАЬOh youтАЩll get used to them. IтАЩve had to. WhatтАЩs the matter with your voice, Jane?тАЭ
тАЬA cold. A throat, rather. ItтАЩs all right. IтАЩm nursing it.тАЭ
тАЬMy God! And The Princess in the Tower tomorrow night. Suppose you canтАЩt sing.тАЭ
тАЬOh! I shall sing. DonтАЩt be afraid. Only donтАЩt mind my whispering. I want to save it every bit I can.тАЭ
тАЬOf course. YouтАЩve seen someone, I suppose?тАЭ
тАЬMy usual man in Harley Street.тАЭ
тАЬWhat did he say?тАЭ
тАЬThe usual things.тАЭ
тАЬHe didnтАЩt forbid you to sing tomorrow?тАЭ
тАЬOh! no.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩre an awfully good liar, arenтАЩt you, Jane?тАЭ
тАЬI thought it would save trouble. But I might have known it would be no good with you. IтАЩll be honest. He warned me that IтАЩd been persistently overstraining my voice for years. He said it was madness to sing tomorrow night. But I donтАЩt care.тАЭ
тАЬMy dear Jane, IтАЩm not going to risk your losing your voice.тАЭ
тАЬMind your own business, Sebastian. My voice is my affair. I donтАЩt interfere in your concerns, donтАЩt interfere in mine.тАЭ
Sebastian grinned.
тАЬThe tiger cat at home,тАЭ he remarked. тАЬBut you mustnтАЩt, Jane, all the same. Does Vernon know?тАЭ
тАЬOf course not. What do you think? And youтАЩre not to tell him, Sebastian.тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt interfere really,тАЭ said Sebastian. тАЬI never have. But Jane dear, it will be ten thousand pities. The operaтАЩs not worth it. And VernonтАЩs not worth it either. Be angry with me if you like for saying so.тАЭ
тАЬWhy should I be angry with you? ItтАЩs the truth, and I know it. All the same, IтАЩm going through with it. Call me any kind of a conceited egoist you like, but The Princess in the Tower wonтАЩt be a success without me. IтАЩve been a success as Isolde and a furore in Solveig. ItтАЩs my moment. And itтАЩs going to be VernonтАЩs moment too. I can at least do that for him.тАЭ
He heard the undercurrent of feeling, the unconscious betrayal of that тАЬat least,тАЭ but not by a muscle of his face did he show that he had realized its significance. He only said again very gently: тАЬHeтАЩs not worth it, Jane. Paddle your own canoe. ItтАЩs the only way. YouтАЩve arrived. Vernon hasnтАЩt and may never.тАЭ
тАЬI know. I know. No oneтАЩs what you call тАШworth itтАЩтБатАФexcept perhaps one person.тАЭ
тАЬWho?тАЭ
тАЬYou, Sebastian. YouтАЩre worth itтБатАФand yet itтАЩs not for you IтАЩm doing it!тАЭ
Sebastian was surprised and touched. A sudden mist came over his eyes. He stretched out his hand and took JaneтАЩs. They sat for a minute or two in silence.
тАЬThat was nice of you, Jane,тАЭ he said at last.
тАЬWell, itтАЩs true. YouтАЩre worth a dozen of Vernon. YouтАЩve got brains, initiative, strength of characterтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
Her husky voice died away. After another minute or two, he said very gently:
тАЬHow are things? Much as usual?тАЭ
тАЬYes, I think so. You know Mrs.┬аDeyre came to see me?тАЭ
тАЬNo, I didnтАЩt. What did she want?тАЭ
тАЬShe came to beg me to give up her boy. Pointed out how I was ruining his life. Only a really bad woman would do what I was doing. And so on. You can guess the kind of thing.тАЭ
тАЬAnd what did you say to her?тАЭ asked Sebastian curiously.
Jane shrugged her shoulders.
тАЬWhat could I say? That to Vernon one harlot was as good as another?тАЭ
тАЬOh! my dear,тАЭ said Sebastian gently. тАЬIs it as bad as that?тАЭ
Jane got up, lighted a cigarette and walked restlessly about the room. Sebastian noticed how haggard her face had become.
тАЬIs heтБатАФmore or less all right?тАЭ he ventured.
тАЬHe drinks too much,тАЭ said Jane curtly.
тАЬCanтАЩt you prevent it?тАЭ
тАЬNo, I canтАЩt.тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs queer. I should have thought you would always have great influence over Vernon.тАЭ
тАЬWell, I havenтАЩt. Not now.тАЭ She was silent for a moment and then said: тАЬNellтАЩs being married in the autumn, isnтАЩt she?тАЭ
тАЬYes. Do you think things will beтБатАФbetter then?тАЭ
тАЬI havenтАЩt the least idea.тАЭ
тАЬI wish to God heтАЩd pull up,тАЭ said Sebastian. тАЬIf you canтАЩt keep him straight, Jane, nobody can. Of course, itтАЩs in the blood.тАЭ
She came and sat down again.
тАЬTell meтБатАФtell me everything you know. About his peopleтБатАФhis father, his mother.тАЭ
Sebastian gave a succinct account of the Deyres. Jane listened.
тАЬHis mother youтАЩve seen,тАЭ he concluded. тАЬQueer, isnтАЩt it, that Vernon doesnтАЩt seem to have inherited one single thing from her? HeтАЩs a Deyre through and through. They are all artistic, musical, weak-willed, self-indulgent, and attractive to women. HeredityтАЩs an odd thing.тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt quite agree with you,тАЭ said Jane. тАЬVernonтАЩs not like his mother, but he has inherited something from her.тАЭ
тАЬWhat?тАЭ
тАЬVitality. SheтАЩs an extraordinarily fine animalтБатАФhave you ever thought of her that way? Well, VernonтАЩs inherited some of that. Without it heтАЩd never have been a composer. If he was a Deyre pure and simple, heтАЩd only have dallied with music. ItтАЩs the Bent force that gives him the power to create. You say his grandfather built up their business single-handed. Well, thereтАЩs the same thing in Vernon.тАЭ
тАЬI wonder if youтАЩre right.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm sure I am.тАЭ
Sebastian considered silently for some minutes.
тАЬIs it only drink?тАЭ he said at last. тАЬOr is itтБатАФwell, I mean, are thereтБатАФother people?тАЭ
тАЬOh! there are others.тАЭ
тАЬAnd you donтАЩt mind?тАЭ
тАЬMind? Mind? Of course I mind. What do you think IтАЩm made of, Sebastian? IтАЩm nearly killed with minding.тБатАКтБатАж But what can I do? Make scenes? Rant and rave and drive Vernon away from me altogether?тАЭ
Her beautiful husky voice rose from its whisper. Sebastian made a quick gesture and she stopped.
тАЬYouтАЩre right. I must be careful.тАЭ
тАЬI canтАЩt understand it,тАЭ grumbled Sebastian. тАЬEven his music doesnтАЩt seem to mean anything to Vernon now. HeтАЩs taken every suggestion from Radmaager and been like a lamb. ItтАЩs unnatural!тАЭ
тАЬWe must wait. It will come back. ItтАЩs reactionтБатАФreaction and Nell together. I canтАЩt help feeling that if The Princess in the Tower is a success, Vernon will pull himself together. He must feel a certain prideтБатАФa sense of achievement.тАЭ
тАЬI hope so,тАЭ said Sebastian heavily. тАЬBut IтАЩm a bit worried about the future.тАЭ
тАЬIn what way? What are you afraid of?тАЭ
тАЬWar.тАЭ
Jane looked at him in astonishment. She could hardly believe her ears. She thought she must have mistaken the word.
тАЬWar?тАЭ
тАЬYes. The outcome of this Sarajevo business.тАЭ
It still seemed to Jane a little absurd and ridiculous.
тАЬWar with whom?тАЭ
тАЬGermanyтБатАФprincipally.тАЭ
тАЬOh! surely, Sebastian. Such aтБатАФaтБатАФfaraway thing.тАЭ
тАЬWhat does the pretext matter?тАЭ said Sebastian impatiently. тАЬItтАЩs the way money has been going. Money talks. I handle moneyтБатАФour relations in Russia handle money. We know. From the way money has been behaving for some time, we can guess what is in the wind. WarтАЩs coming, Jane.тАЭ
Jane looked at him and changed her mind. Sebastian was in earnest and Sebastian usually knew what he was talking about. If he said war was coming, then, fantastic as it seemed, war would come.
Sebastian sat still, lost in thought. Money, investments, various loans, financial responsibilities he had undertaken, the future of his theatres, the policy to be adopted by the weekly paper he owned. Then, of course, there would be fighting. He was the son of a naturalized Englishman. He didnтАЩt wish in the least to go and fight, but he supposed it would be necessary. Everyone below a certain age would do so as a matter of course. It was not the danger that worried him, it was the annoyance of leaving his pet schemes to be looked after by someone else. тАЬTheyтАЩll make a mess of it, sure to,тАЭ thought Sebastian bitterly. He put the war down as being a long jobтБатАФtwo years, perhaps more. In the end, he shouldnтАЩt wonder if America was dragged into it.
The Government would issue loansтБатАФwar loans would be a good investment. No highbrow stuff for the theatresтБатАФsoldiers on leave would want light comedyтБатАФpretty girlsтБатАФlegsтБатАФdancing. He thought it all out carefully. It was a good thing to get a chance to think uninterruptedly. Being with Jane was like being alone. She always knew when you didnтАЩt want to be spoken to.
He looked across at her. She, too, was thinking. He wondered what she was thinking aboutтБатАФyou never quite knew with Jane. She and Vernon were alike thereтБатАФdidnтАЩt tell her thoughts. She was probably thinking about Vernon. If Vernon should go to the war and be killed! But noтБатАФthat mustnтАЩt be. SebastianтАЩs artistic soul rebelled. Vernon mustnтАЩt be killed.
II
The production of The Princess in the Tower has been forgotten by now. It came at an unfortunate time, since war broke out only about three weeks later.
At the time it was what is called тАЬwell received.тАЭ Certain critics waxed a little sarcastic over this тАЬnew school of young musiciansтАЭ who thought they could revolutionize all existing ideas. Others praised it with sincerity as a work of great promise, though immature. But one and all spoke enthusiastically of the perfect beauty and artistry of the whole performance. Everyone тАЬwent to Holborn, such miles out of the way, dear, but really worth itтАЭ to see the attractive fantastic drama, and тАЬthat wonderful new singer, Jane Harding. Her face, dear, is simply wonderfulтБатАФquite medieval. It wouldnтАЩt be the same without her!тАЭ It was a triumph for Jane, though a triumph that was short lived. On the fifth day she was forced to retire from the cast.
Sebastian was summoned by telephone at an hour when Vernon would not be there. Jane met him with such a radiant smile that he thought at first that his fears were not going to be realized.
тАЬItтАЩs no good, Sebastian. Mary Lloyd must go on with it. SheтАЩs not too bad, considering. As a matter of fact, sheтАЩs got a better voice than I have and sheтАЩs quite nice-looking.тАЭ
тАЬHтАЩm, I was afraid Hershall would say that. IтАЩd like to see him myself.тАЭ
тАЬYes, he wants to see you. Not that thereтАЩs anything to be done, IтАЩm afraid.тАЭ
тАЬWhat do you mean? Nothing to be done?тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs gone, my child. Gone for good. HershallтАЩs too honest to hold out any real hope. He says of course you never can be absolutely sure. It might come back with rest, etcetera, etcetera. He said it very well, and then I looked at him and laughedтБатАФand then he had to look shamefaced and own up. He was relieved, I think, at the way I took it.тАЭ
тАЬBut Jane, darling JaneтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
тАЬOh! donтАЩt mind so much, Sebastian. Please donтАЩt. ItтАЩs so much easier if you donтАЩt. ItтАЩs been a gamble, you know, all alongтБатАФmy voice was never really strong enough. I gambled with it. So far I wonтБатАФnow, IтАЩve lost. Well, there it is! One must be a good gambler and not let the hands twitch. IsnтАЩt that what they say at Monte Carlo?тАЭ
тАЬDoes Vernon know?тАЭ
тАЬYes, heтАЩs most awfully upset. He loved my voice. HeтАЩs really quite brokenhearted about it.тАЭ
тАЬBut he doesnтАЩt know thatтБатАФтАЭ
тАЬThat if I had waited two days, and not sung on the opening night of his opera, it would have been all right? No, he doesnтАЩt know that. And if you are loyal to me, Sebastian, he never will.тАЭ
тАЬI shanтАЩt make promises. I think he ought to know.тАЭ
тАЬNo, because really itтАЩs unwarrantable what IтАЩve done! IтАЩve laid him under an obligation to me without his knowledge. ThatтАЩs a thing one shouldnтАЩt do. It isnтАЩt fair. If I had gone to Vernon and told him what Hershall said, do you suppose he would ever have consented to let me sing? HeтАЩd have prevented me by main force. It would be the meanest and cruellest thing in the world to go to Vernon now and say: тАШSee what I have done for you!тАЩ Snivelling and asking for sympathy and gratitude ladled out in a soup plate.тАЭ
Sebastian was silent.
тАЬCome now, my dear, agree.тАЭ
тАЬYes,тАЭ said Sebastian at last. тАЬYouтАЩre right. What you did was unethical. You did it without VernonтАЩs knowledge, and itтАЩs got to be kept from him now. But oh! Jane darling, why did you? Is VernonтАЩs music worth it?тАЭ
тАЬIt will beтБатАФsome day.тАЭ
тАЬIs that why you did it?тАЭ
Jane shook her head.
тАЬI thought not.тАЭ
There was a pause. Sebastian said:
тАЬWhat will you do now, Jane?тАЭ
тАЬPossibly teach. Possibly go on the stage. I donтАЩt know. If the worst comes to the worst, I can always cook.тАЭ
They both laughed, but Jane was very near tears.
She looked across the table at Sebastian and then suddenly rose and came and knelt down beside him. She laid her head down on his shoulder and he put his arm round her.
тАЬOh! SebastianтБатАКтБатАж SebastianтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
тАЬPoor old Jane!тАЭ
тАЬI pretend I donтАЩt mindтБатАФbut I doтБатАКтБатАж I do. I loved singing. I loved it, loved it, loved it.тБатАКтБатАж That lovely Whitsuntide music of Solveig. I shall never sing it again.тАЭ
тАЬI know. Why were you such a fool, Jane?тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt know. Sheer idiocy.тАЭ
тАЬIf you had the choice againтБатАФтАЭ
тАЬIтАЩd do the same thing again.тАЭ
A silence. Then Jane lifted her head and said:
тАЬDo you remember saying, Sebastian, that I had great тАШdriving powerтАЩ? That nothing would turn me aside? And I said that I might be more easily turned aside than you thought. That between Vernon and me, I should go to the wall.тАЭ
Sebastian said: тАЬThings are queer.тАЭ
Jane slipped down on the floor beside him, her hand still in his.
тАЬYou can be clever,тАЭ said Sebastian, breaking the silence. тАЬYou can have the brains to foresee things, and the wits to plan things and the force to succeed, but with all the cleverness in the world you canтАЩt avoid suffering some way or another. ThatтАЩs whatтАЩs so odd. I know IтАЩve got brains, I know IтАЩll get to the top of anything I undertake. IтАЩm not like Vernon. Vernon will either be a heaven-sent genius, or else heтАЩll be an idle dissipated young man. HeтАЩs got a gift if heтАЩs got anything, IтАЩve got ability. And yet with all the ability in the world, I canтАЩt prevent myself getting hurt.тАЭ
тАЬNo one can.тАЭ
тАЬOne might, perhaps, if one gave up oneтАЩs whole life to it. If you pursued safety and nothing but safety, youтАЩd get your wings singed, perhaps, but that would be all. YouтАЩd build a nice smooth wall and hide yourself inside it.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩre thinking of somebody in particular? Who?тАЭ
тАЬJust a fancy. The future Mrs.┬аGeorge Chetwynd if you want to be exact.тАЭ
тАЬNell? Do you think Nell has the strength of character to shut herself out from life?тАЭ
тАЬOh, Nell has got an enormous power of developing protective colouring. Some species have.тАЭ He paused, then went on. тАЬJane, have you ever heard fromтБатАФJoe?тАЭ
тАЬYes, my dear, twice.тАЭ
тАЬWhat did she say?тАЭ
тАЬVery little. Just what fun everything was, and how she was enjoying herself, and how splendid one felt when one had had the courage to defy convention.тАЭ She paused and then added, тАЬSheтАЩs not happy, Sebastian.тАЭ
тАЬYou think not?тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm sure of it.тАЭ
There was a long silence. Two unhappy faces looked into the empty fireplace. Outside taxis hooted as they sped rapidly down the Embankment. Life went on.тБатАКтБатАж
III
It was the ninth of August. Nell Vereker turned out of Paddington station and walked slowly down towards the park. Four-wheelers passed her with old ladies in them laden with many hams. Staring placards were flaunted at every street corner. In every shop was a queue of people anxious to buy commodities.
Nell had said to herself many times: тАЬWeтАЩre at warтБатАФactually at war,тАЭ and had not been able to believe it. Today, for the first time, it seemed to come home to her. A train journey where the ticket office refused to change a five pound note had proved the turning point. Ridiculous, but there it was.
A taxi passed and Nell hailed it. She got in, giving the address of JaneтАЩs flat in Chelsea. She glanced at her watch. It was just half-past ten. No fear that Jane would be out so early.
Nell went up in the lift and stood outside the door, having rung the bell. Her heart was beating nervously. In another minute the door would open. Her small face grew white and strained. Ah! now the door was opening. She and Jane were face to face.
She thought Jane started a littleтБатАФthat was all.
тАЬOh!тАЭ she said. тАЬItтАЩs you.тАЭ
тАЬYes,тАЭ said Nell. тАЬMay I come in, please?тАЭ
It seemed to her that Jane hesitated a minute before drawing back to let her enter. She retreated into the hall, shut a door at the far end and then drew open the sitting-room door for Nell to pass in. She followed her, closing the door behind her.
тАЬWell?тАЭ
тАЬJane, IтАЩve come to ask you if you know where Vernon is?тАЭ
тАЬVernon?тАЭ
тАЬYes. I went to his roomsтБатАФyesterday. HeтАЩs left. The woman there didnтАЩt know where heтАЩd gone. She said his letters were forwarded to you. I went home and wrote to you asking for his address. Then I was afraid you wouldnтАЩt tell me, wouldnтАЩt even answer, perhaps, and I thought IтАЩd come instead.тАЭ
тАЬI see.тАЭ
The tone was noncommittal, unhelpful. Nell hurried on.
тАЬI was sure youтАЩd know where he was. You do, donтАЩt you?тАЭ
тАЬYes, I know.тАЭ
A slow answer, unnecessarily slow, Nell thought. Either Jane knew or she didnтАЩt.
тАЬWell, then?тАЭ
Again a pause. Then Jane said:
тАЬWhy do you want to see Vernon, Nell?тАЭ
Nell raised a white face.
тАЬBecause IтАЩve been such a beastтБатАФsuch a beast! I see it nowтБатАФnow that this awful war has come. I was such a miserable coward. I hate myselfтБатАФsimply hate myself. Just because George was kind and good andтБатАФyes, rich! Oh, Jane, how you must despise me. I know you do. YouтАЩre quite right to despise me. Somehow this war has made everything clearтБатАФdonтАЩt you find that?тАЭ
тАЬNot particularly. There have been wars before and there will be wars again. They donтАЩt really alter anything underneath, you know.тАЭ
Nell was not paying attention.
тАЬItтАЩs wicked to do anything except marry the man you love. I do love Vernon. I always knew I loved him, but I just hadnтАЩt the courage.тБатАКтБатАж Oh, Jane, do you think itтАЩs too late? Perhaps it is. Perhaps he wonтАЩt want me now. But I must see him. Even if he doesnтАЩt want me, I must tell him.тАЭ
She stood there looking piteously up at Jane. Would Jane help her? If not, she must try SebastianтБатАФbut she was afraid of Sebastian. He might refuse flatly to do anything.
тАЬI could get hold of him for you,тАЭ said Jane slowly, after a minute or two.
тАЬOh, thank you, Jane. And JaneтБатАФtell meтБатАФthe war?тАЭ
тАЬHeтАЩs applied to join up, if thatтАЩs what you mean.тАЭ
тАЬYes. Oh! itтАЩs dreadfulтБатАФif he should be killed. But it canтАЩt last long. ItтАЩll be over by ChristmasтБатАФeverybody says so.тАЭ
тАЬSebastian says it will last two years.тАЭ
тАЬOh, but Sebastian canтАЩt know. HeтАЩs not really English. HeтАЩs Russian.тАЭ
Jane shook her head. Then she said: тАЬIтАЩll go andтБатАФтАЭ she pausedтБатАФтАЬtelephone. Wait here.тАЭ
She went out, closing the door behind her. She went to the end of the passage and into the bedroom. Vernon raised a dark rumpled head from the pillow.
тАЬGet up,тАЭ said Jane curtly. тАЬWash yourself and shave yourself and try and make yourself reasonably decent. NellтАЩs here and wants to see you.тАЭ
тАЬNell! ButтБатАФтАЭ
тАЬShe thinks IтАЩm telephoning to you. When youтАЩre ready, you can go outside the front door and ring the bellтБатАФand may God have mercy on both our souls.тАЭ
тАЬBut Jane. NellтБатАКтБатАж what does she want?тАЭ
тАЬIf you still want to marry her, Vernon, now is your chance.тАЭ
тАЬBut IтАЩll have to tell herтБатАФтАЭ
тАЬWhat? That youтАЩve been leading a тАШgay life,тАЩ that youтАЩve been тАШwildтАЩ? All the usual euphemisms! ThatтАЩs all sheтАЩll expectтБатАФand sheтАЩll be grateful to you for laying as little stress on that as possible. But tell her about you and meтБатАФand you bring it from the general to the particularтБатАФand take the child through hell. Muzzle that noble conscience of yours and think of her.тАЭ
Vernon rose slowly from the bed.
тАЬI donтАЩt understand you, Jane.тАЭ
тАЬNo, probably you never will.тАЭ
He said: тАЬHas Nell thrown over George Chetwynd?тАЭ
тАЬI havenтАЩt asked for details. IтАЩm going back to her now. Hurry up.тАЭ
She left the room. Vernon thought, тАЬIтАЩve never understood Jane. I never shall. SheтАЩs so damned disconcerting. Well, I suppose IтАЩve been a sort of passing amusement to her. No, thatтАЩs ungrateful. SheтАЩs been damned decent to me. Nobody could have been more decent than Jane has been. But I couldnтАЩt make Nell understand that. SheтАЩd think Jane was dreadful.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
As he shaved and washed rapidly he said to himself: тАЬAll the same, itтАЩs out of the question. Nell and I could never come together again. Oh! I donтАЩt suppose thereтАЩs any question of that. SheтАЩs probably only come to ask me to forgive her, to make her feel comfortable in case I get killed in this bloody war. The sort of thing a girl would do. Anyway, I donтАЩt believe I care any more.тАЭ
Another voice, deep down, said ironically, тАЬOh! no, not at all. Then why is your heart beating and your hand shaking? You bloody ass, of course you care!тАЭ
He was ready. He went outsideтБатАФrang the bell. A mean subterfugeтБатАФunworthyтБатАФhe felt ashamed. Jane opened the door. She said, rather like a parlourmaid, тАЬIn here,тАЭ and waved him towards the sitting-room. He went in, closing the door behind him.
Nell had risen at his entrance. She stood with her hands clasped in front of her.
Her voice came faint and weak, like a guilty child.
тАЬOh! VernonтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
Time swept backwards. He was in the boat at CambridgeтБатАКтБатАж on the bridge at Ranelagh. He forgot Jane, he forgot everything. He and Nell were the only people in the world.
тАЬNell!тАЭ
They were clinging together, breathless as though they had been running. Words tumbled from NellтАЩs lips.
тАЬVernonтБатАФif you wantтБатАФI do love youтБатАФOh! I do.тБатАКтБатАж IтАЩll marry you any timeтБатАФat onceтБатАФtoday. I donтАЩt mind about being poor or anything!тАЭ
He lifted her off her feet, kissed her eyes, her hair, her lips.
тАЬDarlingтБатАФoh! darling. DonтАЩt letтАЩs waste a minuteтБатАФnot a minute. I donтАЩt know how you get married. IтАЩve never thought about it. But letтАЩs go out and see. WeтАЩll go to the Archbishop of CanterburyтБатАФisnтАЩt that what you do? and get a special licence? How the devil do you get married?тАЭ
тАЬWe might ask a clergyman?тАЭ
тАЬOr thereтАЩs a Registry Office. ThatтАЩs the thing.тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt think I want to be married at a Registry Office. IтАЩd feel rather like a cook or a house parlourmaid being engaged.тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt think itтАЩs that kind, darling. But if youтАЩd rather be married in a church, letтАЩs be married in a church. There are thousands of churches in London, all with nothing to do. IтАЩm sure one of them will love to marry us.тАЭ
They went out together, laughing happily. Vernon had forgotten everythingтБатАФremorse, conscience, Jane.тБатАКтБатАж
At half-past two that afternoon Vernon Deyre and Eleanor Vereker were married in the church of St.┬аEthelredтАЩs, Chelsea.