It Began in Vauxhall Gardens

She thought of the nun, as she had thought of her so many times before. She saw the nun as herself, the lover as Fermor. She feared that she was as weak as the nun; and surely the lover must have been very like Fermor.

She ought to go away—not only for her own sake but for thai of Caroline. But where could she go?

He was watching her, she knew; and he was laughing at her. She believed he was clever enough to read her thoughts, evil enough to laugh at them. He was a bad man. He represented Men as the nuns

thought of them. It was because of men like this one that they wished to shut themselves away from the world.

They left the high road and were within a mile of Treve

"Shall I, wasting in despair, Die because a woman's fair?"

She tried to urge her horse to go ahead of his, but he would not have it so; he kept level with her and went on with his song.

"If she slight me when I woo, I can scorn and let her go; For if she be not for me, What care I how fair she be?"

And so they came to Treve

We

"What is it, my queen? Tell We

She was different from Miss Maud. She frightened We

We

Caroline had seemed to wear a mask to hide her suffering, but no mask could deceive We

When they had returned—those shameless ones—he had been blithe and gay, but she was afraid. She was not one to be able to

hide her feelings. Her cheeks were scarlet, her eyes a more brilliant green than ever. Something had happened. We

Caroline had dressed herself in one of her loveliest dresses that evening. She had laughed and joked with her father—that old si

That imp of Satan had been put out of countenance though. She had had a tray sent to her room, and We

I'd like to ill-wish her. I wish she was dead. Pd go along to a witch if I knew of one that did such things now, and I'd get a wax image of her and I'd stick pins in it every night, that I would. And I hope she finds trouble and he swears it weren't him. That I do. And I hope she dies. . . .

"Tell, my handsome. Tell We

"You know everything, We

"Everything that concerns my lamb."

"We

"Course there ain't. But there's We

"She wants him, you see, We

"Well, my little queen, there's things I could say about him, but let's admit betwixt ourselves he's like all the men . . . perhaps no better . . . perhaps no worse."

"And she, We

"There's the devil in her."

"Let's be fair. I don't think she means ..."

"Not mean! She's been working for it. She looks at any, who'll be duped, with those great big eyes of hers. I never did like green ones. There's something of the devil in green eyes. I never yet knew any green-eyed person that hadn't got wickedness in them ..."

"No, We

"You're too soft, my precious. You're too good and kind. You're like your mother."

"I don't know whether she pla

112 IT BEGAN IN VAUXHALL GARDENS

"What did happen? Tell We

"There was trouble in Liskeard. It was outside A

"She would!"

"They didn't like it, We

"The impudence! I wonder they didn't tear her limb from limb."

"They might have done. But he was watching her and I was watching him. He was off his horse before any of us could do anything . . . and he looked as if he would have killed anyone who laid a hand on her. He got her on to her horse and they galloped away. It seemed some time before John and I realized what had happened. It could only have been for a second or two though. Then John said: 'We'd better go. . . .' And the people just parted and made way for us ... looking ashamed of themselves. It was because they knew who we were, I suppose. In any case, there was never any question of their touching us. We couldn't find those two, We

"They gave 'ee the slip then. They gave 'ee the slip on purpose."

"That was his intention."

"Hers too. Depend upon it."

"Then we came home and they came home. At least they came home not much more than half an hour after us."

"Half an hour be long enough for mischief, and they wouldn't want to call attention to themselves."

"Oh, We

"There, there, my dearie. Why don't 'ee tell him you've done with him?"

"I can't, We

"Why, you could stay here and there'd be We

"Wherever I go you'll be there to look after and comfort me."

"I know. Bless 'ee for that. We'll never be parted, my little love. But he's not the one for you."

"He is, We

"Not he! Who be she then? Somebody's bastard! Oh yes, you can be shocked, my pretty, but that's what she be. I know it. Some light o' love had a baby she didn't want, and she be it. Master Fermor's a proud man. So be his family. They don't marry the likes of her, no matter how green their eyes be."

"That sort of marriage has happened."

"She'd need the devil and all his spells to bring it off. He ain't given no sign that he's thinking of backing out of marriage with you?"

"No, We

"Well, don't 'ee fret about that. You'll marry him, my love; and to my way of thinking, one man ain't much worse than another. You'll have trouble with him . . . like this day. You'll always have that sort of trouble. But we'll fight trouble when it comes. We'll fight it together. We