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are in each of us； so sacred that they melt away at the approach of
words。
I shall remember her like thatwith the gleam of a smile in her
half…closed eyes； her red lips partedsuch a quaint look of mockery；
pleasure； regret； on her little round； upturned face； the room white；
and fresh with flowers； the breeze guttering the apple…leaves against
the window。 In the night they had unhooked the violin and taken it
away； she had not missed it。。。。 When Dan came； I gave up my place to
him。 He took her hand gently in his great paw； without speaking。
〃How small my hand looks there；〃 she said； 〃too small。〃 Dan put it
softly back on the bedclothes and wiped his forehead。 Pasiance cried
in a sharp whisper： 〃Is it so hot in here？ I didn't know。〃 Dan bent
down； put his lips to her fingers and left the room。
The afternoon was long； the longest I've ever spent。 Sometimes she
seemed to sleep； sometimes whispered to herself about her mother； her
grandfather； the garden； or her catsall sorts of inconsequent；
trivial； even ludicrous memories seemed to throng her mindnever
once； I think； did she speak of Zachary； but； now and then； she asked
the time。。。。 Each hour she grew visibly weaker。 John Ford sat by
her without moving； his heavy breathing was often the only sound；
sometimes she rubbed her fingers on his hand； without speaking。 It
was a summary of their lives together。 Once he prayed aloud for her
in a hoarse voice； then her pitiful； impatient eyes signed to me。
〃Quick；〃 she whispered； 〃I want him； it's all socold。〃
I went out and ran down the path towards the cove。
Leaning on a gate stood Zachary； an hour before his time； dressed in
the same old blue clothes and leather…peaked cap as on the day when I
saw him first。 He knew nothing of what had happened。 But at a
quarter of the truth； I'm sure he divined the whole； though he would
not admit it to himself。 He kept saying； 〃It can't be。 She'll be
well in a few daysa sprain！ D' you think the sea…voyage。。。。 Is she
strong enough to be moved now at once？〃
It was painful to see his face； so twisted by the struggle between
his instinct and his vitality。 The sweat poured down his forehead。
He turned round as we walked up the path； and pointed out to sea。
There was his steamer。 〃I could get her on board in no time。
Impossible！ What is it； then？ Spine？ Good God！ The doctors。。。。
Sometimes they'll do wonders！〃 It was pitiful to see his efforts to
blind himself to the reality。
〃It can't be； she's too young。 We're walking very slow。〃 I told him
she was dying。
For a second I thought he was going to run away。 Then he jerked up
his head； and rushed on towards the house。 At the foot of the
staircase he gripped me by the shoulder。
〃It's not true！〃 he said； 〃she'll get better now I'm here。 I'll
stay。 Let everything go。 I'll stay。〃
〃Now's the time；〃 I said； 〃to show you loved her。 Pull yourself
together； man！〃 He shook all over。
〃Yes！〃 was all he answered。 We went into her room。 It seemed
impossible she was going to die； the colour was bright in her cheeks；
her lips trembling and pouted as if she had just been kissed； her
eyes gleaming； her hair so dark and crisp； her face so young。。。。
Half an hour later I stole to the open door of her room。 She was
still and white as the sheets of her bed。 John Ford stood at the
foot； and； bowed to the level of the pillows； his head on his
clenched fists； sat Zachary。 It was utterly quiet。 The guttering of
the leaves had ceased。 When things have come to a crisis； how little
one feelsno fear； no pity； no sorrow； rather the sense； as when a
play is over； of anxiety to get away！
Suddenly Zachary rose； brushed past me without seeing； and ran
downstairs。
Some hours later I went out on the path leading to the cove。 It was
pitch…black； the riding light of the Pied Witch was still there；
looking no bigger than a firefly。 Then from in front I heard
sobbinga man's sobs； no sound is quite so dreadful。 Zachary Pearse
got up out of the bank not ten paces off。
I had no heart to go after him； and sat down in the hedge。 There was
something subtly akin to her in the fresh darkness of the young
night； the soft bank； the scent of honeysuckle； the touch of the
ferns and brambles。 Death comes to all of us； and when it's over
it's over； but this blind businessof those left behind
A little later the ship whistled twice； her starboard light gleamed
faintlyand that was all。。。。
VIII
〃TORQUAY； 30th October 。
。。。。Do you remember the letters I wrote you from Moor Farm nearly
three years ago？ To…day I rode over there。 I stopped at Brixham on
the way for lunch； and walked down to the quay。 There had been a
showerbut the sun was out again； shining on the sea； the brown…red
sails； and the rampart of slate roofs。
A trawler was lying there； which had evidently been in a collision。
The spiky…bearded； thin…lipped fellow in torn blue jersey and sea…
boots who was superintending the repairs； said to me a little
proudly：
〃Bane in collision； zurr； like to zee over her？〃 Then suddenly
screwing up his little blue eyes； he added：
〃Why； I remembers yu。 Steered yu along o' the young lady in this yer
very craft。〃
It was Prawle； Zachary Pearse's henchman。
〃Yes；〃 he went on； 〃that's the cutter。〃
〃And Captain Pearse？〃
He leant his back against the quay； and spat。 〃He was a pra…aper
man； I never zane none like 'en。〃
〃Did you do any good out there？〃
Prawle gave me a sharp glance。
〃Gude？ No； t'was arrm we done； vrom ztart to finishhad trouble all
the time。 What a man cude du； the skipper did。 When yu caan't du
right； zome calls it 'Providence'！ 'Tis all my eye an' Betty Martin！
What I zay es； 'tis these times； there's such a dale o' folk； a dale
of puzzivantin' fellers； the world's to small。〃
With these words there flashed across me a vision of Drake crushed
into our modern life by the shrinkage of the world； Drake caught in
the meshes of red tape； electric wires； and all the lofty appliances
of our civilization。 Does a type survive its age； live on into times
that have no room for it？ The blood is thereand sometimes there's
a throw…back。。。。 All fancy！ Eh？
〃So；〃 I said； 〃you failed？〃
Prawle wriggled。
〃I wudden' goo for to zay that； zurr'tis an ugly word。 Da…am！〃 he
added； staring at his boots； 〃'twas thru me tu。 We were along among
the haythen； and I mus' nades goo for to break me leg。 The capt'n he
wudden' lave me。 'One Devon man；' he says to me； 'don' lave
anotherr。' We werr six days where we shuld ha' been tu； when we got
back to the ship a cruiser had got her for gun…runnin'。〃
〃And what has become of Captain Pearse？〃
Prawle answered； 〃Zurr； I belave 'e went to China； 'tis onsartin。〃
〃He's not dead？〃
Prawle looked at me with a kind of uneasy anger。
〃Yu cudden' kell 'en！ 'Tis true； mun 'll die zome day。 But therr's
not a one that'll show better zport than Capt'n Zach'ry Pearse。〃
I believe that； he will be hard to kill。 The vision of him comes up；
with his perfect balance； defiant eyes； and sweetish smile； the way
the hair of his beard crisped a little； and got blacker on the
cheeks； the sort of desperate feeling he gave； that one would never
get the better of him； that he would never get the better of himself。
I took leave of Prawle and half a crown。 Before I was off the quay I
heard him saying to a lady； 〃Bane in collision； marm！ Like to zee
over her？〃
After lunch I rode on to Moor。 The old place looked much the same；
but the apple…trees were stripped of fruit； and their leaves
beginning to go yellow and fall。 One of Pasiance's cats passed me in
the orchard hunting a bird； still with a ribbon round its neck。 John
Ford showed me all his latest improvements； but never by word or sign
alluded to the past。 He inquired after Dan； back in New Zealand now；
without much interest； his stubbly beard and hair have whitened； he
has grown very stout； and I noticed that his legs are not well under
control； he often stops to lean on his stick。 He was very ill last
winter； and sometimes； they say； will go straight off to sleep in the
middle of a sentence。
I managed to get a few minutes with the Hopgoods。 We talked of
Pasiance sitting in the kitchen under a row of plates； with that
clinging smell of wood…smoke； bacon； and age bringing up memories； as
nothing but scents can。 The dear old lady's hair； drawn so nicely
down her forehead on each side from the centre of her cap； has a few
thin silver lines； and her face is a thought more wrinkled。 The
tears still come into her eyes when she talks of her 〃lamb。〃
Of Zachary I heard nothing； but she told me of old Pearse's death。
〃Therr they found 'en； zo to spake； deadin th' sun； but Ha…apgood
can tell yu；〃 and Hop