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Scogan。 〃Fortunately；〃 he said； 〃we can share our pleasures。 We are
not always condemned to be happy alone。〃
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CHAPTER XVII。
Ivor brought his hands down with a bang on to the final chord of his
rhapsody。 There was just a hint in that triumphant harmony that the
seventh had been struck along with the octave by the thumb of the left
hand； but the general effect of splendid noise emerged clearly enough。
Small details matter little so long as the general effect is good。 And；
besides； that hint of the seventh was decidedly modern。 He turned round
in his seat and tossed the hair back out of his eyes。
〃There；〃 he said。 〃That's the best I can do for you； I'm afraid。〃
Murmurs of applause and gratitude were heard； and Mary； her large
china eyes fixed on the performer； cried out aloud； 〃Wonderful！〃 and
gasped for new breath as though she were suffocating。
Nature and fortune had vied with one another in heaping on Ivor
Lombard all their choicest gifts。 He had wealth and he was perfectly
independent。 He was good looking； possessed an irresistible charm of
manner； and was the hero of more amorous successes than he could well
remember。 His accomplishments were extraordinary for their number
and variety。 He had a beautiful untrained tenor voice； he could improvise；
with a startling brilliance； rapidly and loudly； on the piano。 He was a
good amateur medium and telepathist； and had a considerable first…hand
knowledge of the next world。 He could write rhymed verses with an
extraordinary rapidity。 For painting symbolical pictures he had a dashing
style； and if the drawing was sometimes a little weak； the colour was
always pyrotechnical。 He excelled in amateur theatricals and； when
occasion offered； he could cook with genius。 He resembled Shakespeare
in knowing little Latin and less Greek。 For a mind like his； education
seemed supererogatory。 Training would only have destroyed his natural
aptitudes。
〃Let's go out into the garden；〃 Ivor suggested。 〃It's a wonderful
night。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Mr。 Scogan； 〃but I for one prefer these still more
wonderful arm…chairs。〃 His pipe had begun to bubble oozily every time
he pulled at it。 He was perfectly happy。
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Henry Wimbush was also happy。 He looked for a moment over his
pince…nez in Ivor's direction and then； without saying anything； returned to
the grimy little sixteenth…century account books which were now his
favourite reading。 He knew more about Sir Ferdinando's household
expenses than about his own。
The outdoor party； enrolled under Ivor's banner； consisted of Anne；
Mary； Denis； and； rather unexpectedly； Jenny。 Outside it was warm and
dark； there was no moon。 They walked up and down the terrace； and
Ivor sang a Neapolitan song： 〃Stretti； stretti〃close； closewith
something about the little Spanish girl to follow。 The atmosphere began
to palpitate。 Ivor put his arm round Anne's waist； dropped his head
sideways onto her shoulder； and in that position walked on； singing as he
walked。 It seemed the easiest； the most natural； thing in the world。 Denis
wondered why he had never done it。 He hated Ivor。
〃Let's go down to the pool；〃 said Ivor。 He disengaged his embrace
and turned round to shepherd his little flock。 They made their way along
the side of the house to the entrance of the yew… tree walk that led down to
the lower garden。 Between the blank precipitous wall of the house and
the tall yew trees the path was a chasm of impenetrable gloom。
Somewhere there were steps down to the right； a gap in the yew hedge。
Denis； who headed the party； groped his way cautiously； in this darkness；
one had an irrational fear of yawning precipices； of horrible spiked
obstructions。 Suddenly from behind him he heard a shrill； startled； 〃Oh！〃
and then a sharp； dry concussion that might have been the sound of a slap。
After that； Jenny's voice was heard pronouncing； 〃I am going back to the
house。〃 Her tone was decided； and even as she pronounced the words
she was melting away into the darkness。 The incident； whatever it had
been； was closed。 Denis resumed his forward groping。 From
somewhere behind Ivor began to sing again； softly：
〃Phillis plus avare que tendre Ne gagnant rien a refuser； Un jour
exigea a Silvandre Trente moutons pour un baiser。〃
The melody drooped and climbed again with a kind of easy languor；
the warm darkness seemed to pulse like blood about them。
〃Le lendemain； nouvelle affaire： Pour le berger le troc fut bon。。。〃
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〃Here are the steps；〃 cried Denis。 He guided his companions over the
danger； and in a moment they had the turf of the yew…tree walk under their
feet。 It was lighter here； or at least it was just perceptibly less dark； for
the yew walk was wider than the path that had led them under the lea of
the house。 Looking up； they could see between the high black hedges a
strip of sky and a few stars。
〃Car il obtint de la bergere。。。〃
Went on Ivor； and then interrupted himself to shout； 〃I'm going to run
down；〃 and he was off； full speed； down the invisible slope； singing
unevenly as he went：
〃Trente baisers pour un mouton。〃
The others followed。 Denis shambled in the rear； vainly exhorting
everyone to caution： the slope was steep； one might break one's neck。
What was wrong with these people； he wondered？ They had become like
young kittens after a dose of cat…nip。 He himself felt a certain
kittenishness sporting within him； but it was； like all his emotions； rather a
theoretical feeling； it did not overmasteringly seek to express itself in a
practical demonstration of kittenishness。
〃Be careful；〃 he shouted once more； and hardly were the words out of
his mouth when； thump！ there was the sound of a heavy fall in front of
him； followed by the long 〃F…f…f…f…f〃 of a breath indrawn with pain and
afterwards by a very sincere； 〃Oo…ooh！〃 Denis was almost pleased； he had
told them so； the idiots； and they wouldn't listen。 He trotted down the
slope towards the unseen sufferer。
Mary came down the hill like a runaway steam…engine。 It was
tremendously exciting； this blind rush through the dark； she felt she would
never stop。 But the ground grew level beneath her feet； her speed
insensibly slackened； and suddenly she was caught by an extended arm
and brought to an abrupt halt。
〃Well；〃 said Ivor as he tightened his embrace； 〃you're caught now；
Anne。〃
She made an effort to release herself。 〃It's not Anne。 It's Mary。〃
Ivor burst into a peal of amused laughter。 〃So it is！〃 he exclaimed。
〃I seem to be making nothing but floaters this evening。 I've already
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made one with Jenny。〃 He laughed again； and there was something so
jolly about his laughter that Mary could not help laughing too。 He did
not remove his encircling arm； and somehow it was all so amusing and
natural that Mary made no further attempt to escape from it。 They
walked along by the side of the pool； interlaced。 Mary was too short for
him to be able； with any comfort； to lay his head on her shoulder