CHAPTER IV

Peter,meditatingonthebanksoftheriveratEstcourt,cametotheconclusionthatajourneytoLondonwouldbemadeunnecessarybytheequalefficacyofacongratulatoryletter. Hehadbeengreatlymovedbythenewsofhissister'sgoodfortune,andinthefirstflushofpleasureandsympathyhadorderedhisthingstobepackedinreadinessforhisdeparturebythenighttrain.Thenhehadgonedowntotheriver,andthere,thinkingthematteroverquietly,amidthesoothinginfluencesofgreysky,greywater,andgreengrass,hegraduallyperceivedthataletterwouldconveyallthathefeltquitewell,perhapsbetterthananyverbalexpressionsofjoy,andashewouldinanycaseonlystayafewhoursintownthelongjourneyseemedhardlyworthwhile.Hesentaletter,therefore,thatveryevening—akind,brotherlyletter,inwhich,afterheartilycongratulatinghisdearlittlesister,hesaidthatitwouldbenecessaryforhertogoovertoGermany,seethelawyer,andtakepossessionofherproperty.Whenshehaddonethat,andmadeallarrangementsastothefuturepaymentoftheincomederivedfromtheestate,shewouldofcoursecomebacktothemforEstcourtwasalwaystobeherhome,andnowthatshewasindependentshewouldnolongerbeobligedtobewhereverSusiewas,butwould,hehoped,cometohim,andtheycouldgofishingtogether,—"andthere'snothingtobeatfishing,"concludedPeter,"ifyouwantpeace." ButAnnadidnotwantpeaceatleast,notthatkindofpeacejustatthatmoment.Sittinginapuntwasnotwhatshewanted.Shewasthrilledbytheloveofherlessfortunatefellow-creatures,andthesenseofpowertohelpthem,andthelongingtogoanddoit.WhatshereallywantedofPeterwasthatheshouldtakehertoGermanyandhelpherthroughtheformalitiesforbeforehisletterarrivedshetoohadseenthatthatwasthefirstthingtobedone. Ofthis,however,hedidnotwriteaword.Shethoughthemusthaveforgotten,sonaturaldiditappeartoherthatherbrothershouldgowithherandshewrotehimalittlenote,askingwhenhewouldbeabletogetawa