He did not mean it for the creatures before him.
Nor had he anyconviction of metaphysics into which, retaining its own nature, it
mighteasily pass. The otherhouses were shadowy and uncertain; this alone was solid
and real. He lit a fire to warm himself; he ate anddrank; he went from room to room;
he tried to read.
From the mirror three identical faces looked out,
staring. Something rhythmical in her did not always entirelycorrespond to
him.
He walked on as far as the end of the street; then
he walked back. The suddenrecollection shocked him almost to a pause. Atumour on the
brain, sir; thats what he cured me of, a year ago. Yet, as if she had been swung
round by that once-impetuoushand, Evelyn turned. Betty had taken refuge in it, as
once on a garden-seat among the bushes. In those earlier days, she had notgone; she
had hesitated a moment just so, and then turned away.
Something just brushed his cheek as he did so; a
cobweb inthe wood or something else. Helooked round; his eyes fell on the window.
One wasnearer her; the other two, one on each side of him, were closer to
themirror.
They fought against him; mans vocabularyfought
against him.
At present it seemedto threaten that in her which
was still necessary to him.
The otherhouses were shadowy and uncertain; this
alone was solid and real.
They were indeed none ofthese; they did not belong
to animal nature.
Lester was not always
completelyunderstanding.
But even that moan was not somuch of pain as of
compulsion.
She was smiling, and as hesaw the smile he
recognized her. There wasnothing of Jonathans shouting colours about it. Hetook the
paralysis away from Elsie Bookin who does the typing, and oldMrs. They were nolonger
schoolgirls; they were-what were they?
Generations had putthemselves to the work. She saw
the hall was dark, with a natural healthy darkness inwhich at first she felt some
pleasure. Lady Wallingford was only a stupidold witch in a wood, but this was the
god in the wood.
As for the engagement-that perhaps is hardlymy
business. His face -cleared; he came to the stairs and began to
descend.
My names Plankin; Im akind of doorkeeper.