XVI

HewentuptoCambridgethenextmorning.Termhadnotbegun,buthewentaRobinwithallthebrisknessgoneoutofhim,andifstillwithsomethingofthebirdleftonlyofabirdthatismoulting.Hisfatherwasmildlysurprised,butapplaudedtheapparentdesireforsolitarystudy.Hismotherwasviolentlysurprised,andtriedhardtogetathistruereasons.Shesawwiththepiercingeyeofarelation—thateyefromwhichhardlyanythingcaneverbehidden—thatsomethinghadhappenedandthatthesomethingwassoberingandunpleasant.Shecouldnotimaginewhatitwas,forshedidnotknowhehadbeentoCreeperCottagethenightbeforeandalltheafternoonandatdinnerhehadtalkedandbehavedasusual.Nowhedidnottalkatall,andhisbehaviourwaslimitedtoahastypackingofportmanteaus.Determinedtoquestionhimshecalledhimintothestudyjustbeforehestarted,andshutthedoor. "Imustgomater,"hesaid,pullingouthiswatchhehadcarefullyavoidedhersincebreakfastthoughshehadlaidmanytrapsforhim. "Robin,IwanttotellyouthatIthinkyousplendid." "Splendid?Whatonearthfor?Youweretellingmeaverydifferentsortofthingadayortwoago." "IamsorrynowforwhatIsaidonSunday." "Idon'tthinkamotheroughtevertosayshe'ssorry,"saidRobingloomily. "Notifsheis?" "Sheoughtn'ttosayso." "Welldearletusbefriends.Don'tgoawayangrywithme.Idoappreciateyousomuchforgoing.Youaremyowndearboy."Andsheputherhandsonhisshoulders. Hetookouthiswatchagain."Isay,Imustbeoff." "Don'tsupposeamotherdoesn'tseeandunderstand." "OhIdon'tsupposeanything.Good-byemater." "Ithinkitsosplendidofyoutogo,toturnyourbackontemptation,tounwindyourselffromthatwretchedgirl'scoils." "Coils?" "MyRobin"—shestrokedhischeek,thesamecheek,asithappened,Priscillahadsmitten—"myRobinmustnotthrowhimselfaway.Iamambitiouswhereyouareconcerned,mydarling.Itwouldhavebrokenmyheartforyoutohavemarriedanobody—perhapsaworsethannobody." Robin,whowasstaringatherwithanindescribableexpressiononhisface,tookherhandsoffhisshoulders."Lookheremater,"hesaid—andhewasseizedbyadesiretolaughterrifically—"thereisnothingintheworldquitesoamusingasthewaypeoplewilltalkwiselyofthingstheydon'tinthefaintestdegreeunderstand.Theyseemtofeelwiseinproportiontotheirignorance.Iexpectyouthinkthat'safunnyspeechformetomake.IcantellyouIdon'tthinkithalfasfunnyasyourswas.Good-bye.Ishallmissmytrainyouknowifyoukeepme,andthenI'dbeexposedagaintothose—whatwastheword?ah,yes—coils.Coils!"Heburstintoloudlaughter."Good-byemater." Shewasstaringathimblankly.Hehastilybrushedherforeheadwithhismoustacheandhurriedtothedoor,hisfacefullofstrangemirth."Isay,"hesaid,puttinginhisheadagain,"there'sjustonethingI'dliketosay." Shemadeaneagersteptowardshim."Dosayitmydarling—sayallthatisinyourheart." "Ohit'snotmuch—it'sonlyGodhelppoorTuss."Andthatwasthelastofhim.SheheardhimchucklingalldownthepassagebutlongbeforehisflyhadreachedUllertonhehadleftoffdoingthatandwasmoultingagain. ItrainedthatdayinSomersetshire,a