CHAPTER ELEVEN

thenursesandchildrenandoldmenandyoungcrowdedtotheedge,leantoverandwavedtheirsticks!Thelittlegirlranstretchingherarmstowardsherair-ball,butitsankbeneaththefountain. EdwardCruttendon,JinnyCarslake,andJacobFlanderswalkedinarowalongtheyellowgravelpathgotontothegrasssopassedunderthetreesandcameoutatthesummer-housewhereMarieAntoinetteusedtodrinkchocolate.InwentEdwardandJinny,butJacobwaitedoutside,sittingonthehandleofhiswalking-stick.Outtheycameagain. "Well?"saidCruttendon,smilingatJacob. JinnywaitedEdwardwaitedandbothlookedatJacob. "Well?"saidJacob,smilingandpressingbothhandsonhisstick. "Comealong,"hedecidedandstartedoff.Theothersfollowedhim,smiling. Andthentheywenttothelittlecafeintheby-streetwherepeoplesitdrinkingcoffee,watchingthesoldiers,meditativelyknockingashesintotrays. "Buthe'squitedifferent,"saidJinny,foldingherhandsoverthetopofherglass."Idon'tsupposeyouknowwhatTedmeanswhenhesaysathinglikethat,"shesaid,lookingatJacob."ButIdo.SometimesIcouldkillmyself.Sometimesheliesinbedalldaylong—justliesthere….Idon'twantyourightonthetable"shewavedherhands.Swolleniridescentpigeonswerewaddlingroundtheirfeet. "Lookatthatwoman'shat,"saidCruttendon."Howdotheycometothinkofit?…No,Flanders,Idon'tthinkIcouldlivelikeyou.WhenonewalksdownthatstreetoppositetheBritishMuseum—what'sitcalled?—that'swhatImean.It'salllikethat.Thosefatwomen—andthemanstandinginthemiddleoftheroadasifheweregoingtohaveafit…" "Everybodyfeedsthem,"saidJinny,wavingthepigeonsaway."They'restupidoldthings." "Well,Idon'tknow,"saidJacob,smokinghiscigarette."There'sSt.Paul's." "Imeangoingtoanoffice,"saidCruttendon. "Hangitall,"Jacobexpostulated. "Butyoudon'tcount,"saidJinny,lookingatCruttendon."You'remad.Imean,youjustthinkofpainting." "Yes,Iknow.Ican'thelpit.Isay,willKingGeorgegivewayaboutthepeers?" "He'lljollywellhaveto,"saidJacob. "There!"saidJinny."Hereallyknows." "Yousee,IwouldifIcould,"saidCruttendon,"butIsimplycan't." "ITHINKIcould,"saidJinny."Only,it'sallthepeopleonedislikeswhodoit.Athome,Imean.Theytalkofnothingelse.Evenpeoplelikemymother." "NowifIcameandlivedhere—-"saidJacob."What'smyshare,Cruttendon?Oh,verywell.Haveityourownway.Thosesillybirds,directlyonewantsthem—they'veflownaway." AndfinallyunderthearclampsintheGaredesInvalides,withoneofthosequeermovementswhicharesoslightyetsodefinite,whichmaywoundorpassunnoticedbutgenerallyinflictagooddealofdiscomfort,JinnyandCruttendondrewtogetherJacobstoodapart.Theyhadtoseparate.Somethingmustbesaid.Nothingwassaid.AmanwheeledatrolleypastJacob'slegssonearthathealmostgrazedthem.WhenJacobrecoveredhisbalancetheothertwowereturningaway,thoughJinnylookedoverhershoulder,andCruttendon,wavinghishand,disappearedliketheverygreatgeniusthathewas. No—Mrs.Flanderswastoldnoneofthis,thoughJacobfelt,itissafetosay,thatnothingintheworldwasofgreaterimportanceandasforCruttend