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blown cheeks； the dimpled bellies； the tight； absurd little posteriors of the
sprawling putti。
There was a discreet tap at the door。 She looked up。 〃Come in；
come in。〃 A face； round and childish； within its sleek bell of golden hair；
peered round the opening door。 More childish… looking still； a suit of
mauve pyjamas made its entrance。
It was Mary。 〃I thought I'd just look in for a moment to say good…
night；〃 she said； and sat down on the edge of the bed。
Anne closed her book。 〃That was very sweet of you。〃
〃What are you reading？〃 She looked at the book。 〃Rather second…
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rate； isn't it？〃 The tone in which Mary pronounced the word 〃second…
rate〃 implied an almost infinite denigration。 She was accustomed in
London to associate only with first…rate people who liked first…rate things；
and she knew that there were very； very few first…rate things in the world；
and that those were mostly French。
〃Well； I'm afraid I like it；〃 said Anne。 There was nothing more to be
said。 The silence that followed was a rather uncomfortable one。 Mary
fiddled uneasily with the bottom button of her pyjama jacket。 Leaning
back on her mound of heaped…up pillows； Anne waited and wondered what
was coming。
〃I'm so awfully afraid of repressions；〃 said Mary at last； bursting
suddenly and surprisingly into speech。 She pronounced the words on the
tail…end of an expiring breath； and had to gasp for new air almost before
the phrase was finished。
〃What's there to be depressed about？〃
〃I said repressions； not depressions。〃
〃Oh； repressions； I see；〃 said Anne。 〃But repressions of what？〃
Mary had to explain。 〃The natural instincts of sex。。。〃 she began
didactically。 But Anne cut her short。
〃Yes； yes。 Perfectly。 I understand。 Repressions！ old maids and all
the rest。 But what about them？〃
〃That's just it；〃 said Mary。 〃I'm afraid of them。 It's always
dangerous to repress one's instincts。 I'm beginning to detect in myself
symptoms like the ones you read of in the books。 I constantly dream that
I'm falling down wells； and sometimes I even dream that I'm climbing up
ladders。 It's most disquieting。 The symptoms are only too clear。〃
〃Are they？〃
〃One may become a nymphomaniac of one's not careful。 You've no
idea how serious these repressions are if you don't get rid of them in time。〃
〃It sounds too awful；〃 said Anne。 〃But I don't see that I can do
anything to help you。〃
〃I thought I'd just like to talk it over with you。〃
〃Why； of course； I'm only too happy； Mary darling。〃
Mary coughed and drew a deep breath。 〃I presume；〃 she began
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sententiously； 〃I presume we may take for granted that an intelligent
young woman of twenty…three who has lived in civilised society in the
twentieth century has no prejudices。〃
〃Well； I confess I still have a few。〃
〃But not about repressions。〃
〃No； not many about repressions； that's true。〃
〃Or； rather； about getting rid of repressions。〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃So much for our fundamental postulate；〃 said Mary。 Solemnity was
expressed in every feature of her round young face； radiated from her large
blue eyes。 〃We come next to the desirability of possessing experience。
I hope we are agreed that knowledge is desirable and that ignorance is
undesirable。〃
Obedient as one of those complaisant disciples from whom Socrates
could get whatever answer he chose； Anne gave her assent to this
proposition。
〃And we are equally agreed； I hope； that marriage is what it is。〃
〃It is。〃
〃Good！〃 said Mary。 〃And repressions being what they are。。。〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃There would therefore seem to be only one conclusion。〃
〃But I knew that；〃 Anne exclaimed； 〃before you began。〃
〃Yes； but now it's been proved；〃 said Mary。 〃One must do things
logically。 The question is now。。。〃
〃But where does the question come in？ You've reached your only
possible conclusionlogically； which is more than I could have done。 All
that remains is to impart the information to someone you likesomeone
you like really rather a lot； someone you're in love with； if I may express
myself so baldly。〃
〃But that's just where the question comes in；〃 Mary exclaimed。 〃I'm
not in love with anybody。〃
〃Then； if I were you； I should wait till you are。〃
〃But I can't go on dreaming night after night that I'm falling down a
well。 It's too dangerous。〃
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〃Well； if it really is TOO dangerous； then of course you must do
something about it； you must find somebody else。〃
〃But who？〃 A thoughtful frown puckered Mary's brow。 〃It must be
somebody intelligent； somebody with intellectual interests that I can share。
And it must be somebody with a proper respect for women； somebody
who's prepared to talk seriously about his work and his ideas and about my
work and my ideas。 It isn't； as you see； at all easy to find the right
person。〃
〃Well〃 said Anne； 〃there are three unattached and intelligent men in
the house at the present time。 There's Mr。 Scogan； to begin with； but
perhaps he's rather too much of a genuine antique。 And there are
Gombauld and Denis。 Shall we say that the choice is limited to the last
two？〃
Mary nodded。 〃I think we had better；〃 she said； and then hesitated；
with a certain air of embarrassment。
〃What is it？〃
〃I was wondering；〃 said Mary； with a gasp； 〃whether they really were
unattached。 I thought that perhaps you might。。。you might。。。〃
〃It was very nice of you to think of me； Mary darling；〃 said Anne；
smiling the tight cat's smile。 〃But as far as I'm concerned； they are both
entirely unattached。〃
〃I'm very glad of that；〃 said Mary； looking relieved。 〃We are now
confronted with the question： Which of the two？〃
〃I can give no advice。 It's a matter for your taste。〃
〃It's not a matter of my taste；〃 Mary pronounced； 〃but of their merits。
We must weigh them and consider them carefully and dispassionately。〃
〃You must do the weighing yourself；〃 said Anne； there was still the
trace of a smile at the corners of her mouth and round the half…closed eyes。
〃I won't run the risk of advising you wrongly。〃
〃Gombauld has more talent；〃 Mary began； 〃but he is less civilised than
Denis。〃 Mary's pronunciation of 〃civilised〃 gave the word a special and
additional significance。 She uttered it meticulously； in the very front of
her mouth； hissing delicately on the opening sibilant。 So few people
were civilised； and they； like the first…rate works of art； were mostly
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French。 〃Civilisation is most important； don't you think？〃
Anne held up her hand。 〃I won't advise；〃 she said。 〃You must make
the decision。〃
〃Gombauld's family；〃 Mary went on reflectively； 〃comes from
Marseilles。 Rather a dangerous heredity； when one thinks of the Latin
attitude towards women。 But then； I sometimes wonder whether Denis is
altogether serious…minded； whether he isn't rather a dilettante。 It's very
difficult。 What do you think？〃
〃I'm not listening；〃 said Anne。 〃I refuse to take any responsibility。〃
Mary sighed。 〃Well；〃 she said； 〃I think I had better go to bed and
think about it。〃
〃Carefully and dispassionately；〃 said Anne。
At the d