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They were Pasiance and Mrs。 Hopgood； and so charming was the smell of
eggs and bacon； and they had such an air of tender enjoyment of this
dark revel； that I stifled many pangs； as I crept hungry up to bed。
In the middle of the night I woke and heard what I thought was
screaming； then it sounded like wind in trees； then like the distant
shaking of a tambourine； with the high singing of a human voice。
Suddenly it stoppedtwo long notes came wailing out like sobsthen
utter stillness； and though I listened for an hour or more there was
no other sound 。。。。
IV
〃4th August 。
。。。。。。For three days after I wrote last； nothing at all happened
here。 I spent the mornings on the cliff reading； and watching the
sun…sparks raining on the sea。 It's grand up there with the gorse
all round； the gulls basking on the rocks； the partridges calling in
the corn； and now and then a young hawk overhead。 The afternoons I
spent out in the orchard。 The usual routine goes on at the farm all
the timecow…milking； bread…baking； John Ford riding in and out；
Pasiance in her garden stripping lavender； talking to the farm hands；
and the smell of clover； and cows and hay； the sound of hens and pigs
and pigeons； the soft drawl of voices； the dull thud of the farm
carts； and day by day the apples getting redder。 Then； last Monday；
Pasiance was away from sunrise till sunsetnobody saw her gonobody
knew where she had gone。 It was a wonderful； strange day； a sky of
silver…grey and blue； with a drift of wind…clouds； all the trees
sighing a little； the sea heaving in a long； low swell； the animals
restless； the birds silent； except the gulls with their old man's
laughter and kitten's mewing。
A something wild was in the air； it seemed to sweep across the downs
and combe； into the very house； like a passionate tune that comes
drifting to your ears when you're sleepy。 But who would have thought
the absence of that girl for a few hours could have wrought such
havoc！ We were like uneasy spirits； Mrs。 Hopgood's apple cheeks
seemed positively to wither before one's eyes。 I came across a
dairymaid and farm hand discussing it stolidly with very downcast
faces。 Even Hopgood； a hard…bitten fellow with immense shoulders；
forgot his imperturbability so far as to harness his horse； and
depart on what he assured me was 〃just a wild…guse chaace。〃 It was
long before John Ford gave signs of noticing that anything was wrong；
but late in the afternoon I found him sitting with his hands on his
knees； staring straight before him。 He rose heavily when he saw me；
and stalked out。 In the evening； as I was starting for the
coastguard station to ask for help to search the cliff； Pasiance
appeared； walking as if she could hardly drag one leg after the
other。 Her cheeks were crimson； she was biting her lips to keep
tears of sheer fatigue out of her eyes。 She passed me in the doorway
without a word。 The anxiety he had gone through seemed to forbid the
old man from speaking。 He just came forward； took her face in his
hands； gave it a great kiss； and walked away。 Pasiance dropped on
the floor in the dark passage； and buried her face on her arms。
〃Leave me alone！〃 was all she would say。 After a bit she dragged
herself upstairs。 Presently Mrs。 Hopgood came to me。
〃Not a word out of heran' not a bite will she ate； an' I had a pie
all readyscrumptious。 The good Lord knows the truthshe asked for
brandy； have you any brandy； sir？ Ha…apgood'e don't drink it； an'
Mister Ford 'e don't allaow for anything but caowslip wine。〃
I had whisky。
The good soul seized the flask； and went off hugging it。 She
returned it to me half empty。
〃Lapped it like a kitten laps milk。 I misdaoubt it's straong； poor
lamb； it lusened 'er tongue praaperly。 'I've a…done it；' she says to
me； 'Mums…I've a…done it；' an' she laughed like a mad thing； and
then； sir； she cried； an' kissed me； an' pusshed me thru the door。
Gude Lard！ What is 't she's a…done。。。？〃
It rained all the next day and the day after。 About five o'clock
yesterday the rain ceased； I started off to Kingswear on Hopgood's
nag to see Dan Treffry。 Every tree； bramble； and fern in the lanes
was dripping water； and every bird singing from the bottom of his
heart。 I thought of Pasiance all the time。 Her absence that day was
still a mystery； one never ceased asking oneself what she had done。
There are people who never grow upthey have no right to do things。
Actions have consequencesand children have no business with
consequences。
Dan was out。 I had supper at the hotel； and rode slowly home。 In
the twilight stretches of the road； where I could touch either bank
of the lane with my whip； I thought of nothing but Pasiance and her
grandfather； there was something in the half light suited to wonder
and uncertainty。 It had fallen dark before I rode into the straw…
yard。 Two young bullocks snuffled at me； a sleepy hen got up and ran
off with a tremendous shrieking。 I stabled the horse； and walked
round to the back。 It was pitch black under the apple…trees； and the
windows were all darkened。 I stood there a little； everything
smelled so delicious after the rain； suddenly I had the uncomfortable
feeling that I was being watched。 Have you ever felt like that on a
dark night？ I called out at last： 〃Is any one there？〃 Not a sound！
I walked to the gate…nothing！ The trees still dripped with tiny；
soft； hissing sounds； but that was all。 I slipped round to the
front； went in； barricaded the door； and groped up to bed。 But I
couldn't sleep。 I lay awake a long while； dozed at last； and woke
with a jump。 A stealthy murmur of smothered voices was going on
quite close somewhere。 It stopped。 A minute passed； suddenly came
the soft thud as of something falling。 I sprang out of bed and
rushed to the window。 Nothingbut in the distance something that
sounded like footsteps。 An owl hooted； then clear as crystal； but
quite low； I heard Pasiance singing in her room：
〃The apples are ripe and ready to fall。
Oh！ heigh…ho！ and ready to fall。〃
I ran to her door and knocked。
〃What is it？〃 she cried。
〃Is anything the matter？〃
〃Matter？〃
〃Is anything the matter？〃
〃Ha…ha…ha…ha！ Good…night！〃 then quite low； I heard her catch her
breath； hard； sharply。 No other answer； no other sound。
I went to bed and lay awake for hours。。。。
This evening Dan came； during supper he handed Pasiance a roll of
music； he had got it in Torquay。 The shopman； he said； had told him
that it was a 〃corker。〃
It was Bach's 〃Chaconne。〃 You should have seen her eyes shine； her
fingers actually tremble while she turned over the pages。 Seems odd
to think of her worshipping at the shrine of Bach as odd as to think
of a wild colt running of its free will into the shafts； but that's
just it with her you can never tell。 〃Heavenly！〃 she kept saying。
John Ford put down his knife and fork。
〃Heathenish stuff！〃 he muttered； and suddenly thundered out；
〃Pasiance！〃
She looked up with a start； threw the music from her； and resumed her
place。
During evening prayers； which follow every night immediately on food；
her face was a study of mutiny。 She went to bed early。 It was
rather late when we broke upfor once old Ford had been talking of
his squatter's life。 As we came out； Dan held up his hand。 A dog
was barking。 〃It's Lass；〃 he said。 〃She'll wake Pasiance。〃
The spaniel yelped furiously。 Dan ran out to stop her。 He was soon
back。
〃Somebody's been in the orchard； and gone off down to the cove。〃 He
ran on down the path。 I； too； ran； horribly uneasy。 In front；
through the darkness； came the spaniel's bark； the lights of the
coastguard station faintly showed。 I was first on the beach； the dog
came to me at once； her tail almost in her mouth from apology。 There
was the sound of oars working in rowlocks； nothing visible but the
feathery edges of the waves。 Dan said behind； 〃No use！ He's gone。〃
His voice sounded hoarse； like that of a man choking with passion。
〃George；〃 he stammered； 〃it's that blackguard。 I wish I'd put a
bullet in him。〃 Suddenly a light burned up in the darkness on the
sea； seemed to swing gently； and vanished。 Without another word we
went back up the hill。 John Ford stood at the gate motionless；
indifferentnothing had dawned on him as yet。 I whispered to Dan；
〃Let it alone！〃
〃No；〃 he said； 〃I'm going to show you。〃 He struck a match； and
slowly hunted the footsteps in the wet grass of the orchard。 〃Look
here！〃
He stopped under Pasiance's window and swayed the match over the
ground。 Clear as daylight were the marks of some one who had jumped
or fallen。 Dan held the match over his head。
〃And look there！〃 he said。 The bough of an apple…tree below the
window was broken。 He blew the match out。
I could see the whites of h