Chapter119

philiphadnotabasketofhisown,butsatwithsally.janethoughtitmonstrousthatheshouldhelphereldersisterratherthanherself,andhehadtopromisetopickforherwhensally’sbasketwasfull.sallywasalmostasquickashermother.

“won’tithurtyourhandsforsewing?”askedphilip.

“oh,no,itwantssofthands.that’swhywomenpickbetterthanmen.ifyourhandsarehardandyourfingersallstiffwithalotofroughworkyoucan’tpicknearsowell.”  helikedtoseeherdeftmovements,andshewatchedhimtoonowandthenwiththatmaternalspiritofherswhichwassoamusingandyetsocharming.hewasclumsyatfirst,andshelaughedathim.whenshebentoverandshowedhimhowbesttodealwithawholelinetheirhandsmet.hewassurprisedtoseeherblush.

hecouldnotpersuadehimselfthatshewasawoman;becausehehadknownherasaflapper,hecouldnothelplookinguponherasachildstill;yetthenumberofheradmirersshowedthatshewasachildnolonger;andthoughtheyhadonlybeendownafewdaysoneofsally’scousinswasalreadysoattentivethatshehadtoendurealotofchaffing.hisnamewaspetergann,andhewasthesonofmrs.athelny’ssister,whohadmarriedafarmernearferne.everyoneknewwhyhefounditnecessarytowalkthroughthehop-fieldeveryday.

acall-offbythesoundingofahornwasmadeforbreakfastateight,andthoughmrs.athelnytoldthemtheyhadnotdeservedit,theyateitveryheartily.theysettoworkagainandworkedtilltwelve,whenthehornsoundedoncemorefordinner.atintervalsthemeasurerwenthisroundfrombintobin,accompaniedbythebooker,whoenteredfirstinhisownbookandtheninthehopper’sthenumberofbushelspicked.aseachbinwasfilleditwasmeasuredoutinbushelbasketsintoahugebagcalledapoke;andthisthemeasurerandthepole-pullercarriedoffbetweenthemandputontheon.athelnycamebacknowandthenwithstoriesofhowmuchmrs.heathormrs.joneshadpicked,andheconjuredhisfamilytobeather:hewasalwayswantingtomakerecords,andsometimesinhisenthusiasmpickedsteadilyforanhour.hischiefamusementinit,however,wasthatitshowedthebeautyofhisgracefulhands,ofwhichhewasexcessivelyproud.hespentmuchtimemanicuringthem.hetoldphilip,ashestretchedouthistaperingfingers,thatthespanishgrandeeshadalwayssleptinoiledglovestopreservetheirwhiteness.thehandthatwrungthethroatofeurope,heremarkeddramatically,wasasshapelyandexquisiteasawoman’s;andhelookedathisown,ashedelicatelypickedthehops,andsighedwithself-satisfaction.whenhegrewtiredofthisherolledhimselfacigaretteanddiscoursedtophilipofartandliterature.intheafternoonitgrewveryhot.workdidnotproceedsoactivelyandconversationhalted.theincessantchatterofthemorningdwindlednowtodesultoryremarks.tinybeadsofsweatstoodonsally’supperlip,andassheworkedherlipswereslightlyparted.shewaslikearosebudburstingintoflower.

calling-offtimedependedonthestateoftheoast-house.sometimesitwasfilledearly,andasmanyhopshadbeenpickedbythreeorfourascouldbedriedduringthenight.thenworkwasstopped.butgenerallythelastmeasuringofthedaybeganatfive.aseachcompanyhaditsbinmeasureditgatheredupitsthingsand,chattingagainnowthatworkwasover,saunteredoutofthegarden.thewomenwentbacktothehutstocleanupandpreparethesupper,whileagoodmanyofthemenstrolleddowntheroadtothepublic-house.aglassofbeerwasverypleasantaftertheday’swork.

theathelnys’binwasthelasttobedealtwith.whenthemeasurercamemrs.athelny,withasighofrelief,stoodupandstretchedherarms:shehadbeensittinginthesamepositionformanyhoursandwasstiff.

“now,let’sgotothejollysailor,”saidathelny.“theritesofthedaymustbedulyperformed,andthereisnonemoresacredthanthat.”

“takeajugwithyou,athelny,”saidhiswife,“andbringbackapintandahalfforsupper.”

shegavehimthemoney,copperbycopper.thebar-parlourwasalreadywellfilled.ithadasandedfloor,benchesroundit,andyellowpicturesofvictorianprize-fightersonthewalls.thelicenceeknewallhiscustomersbyname,andheleanedoverhisbarsmilingbenignlyattwoyoungmenwhowerethrowingringsonastickthatstoodupfromthefloor:theirfailurewasgreetedwithagooddealofheartychafffromtherestofthecompany.roomwasmadeforthenew

arrivals.philipfoundhimselfsittingbetweenanoldlabourerincorduroys,withstringtiedunderhisknees,andashiny-facedladofseventeenwithalove-lockneatlyplasteredonhisredforehead.athelnyinsistedontryinghishandatthethrowingofrings.hebackedhimselfforhalfapintandwonit.ashedranktheloser’shealthhesaid:

“iwouldsoonerhavewonthisthanwonthederby,myboy.”

hewasanoutlandishfigure,withhiswide-brimmedhatandpointedbeard,amongthosecountryfolk,anditwaseasytoseethattheythoughthimveryqueer;buthisspiritsweresohigh,hisenthusiasmsocontagious,thatitwasimpossiblenottolikehim.conversationwenteasily.acertainnumberofpleasantrieswereexchangedinthebroad,slowaccentoftheisleofthanet,andtherewasuproariouslaughteratthesalliesofthelocalwag.apleasantgathering!itwouldhavebeenahard-heartedpersonwhodidnotfeelaglowofsatisfactioninhisfellows.philip’seyeswanderedoutofthewindowwhereitwasbrightandsunnystill;therewerelittlewhitecurtainsinittiedupwithredribbonlikethoseofacottagewindow,andonthesillwerepotsofgeraniums.induecourseonebyonetheidlersgotupandsaunteredbacktothemeadowwheresupperwascooking.

“iexpectyou’llbereadyforyourbed,”saidmrs.athelnytophilip.“you’renotusedtogettingupatfiveandstayingintheopenairallday.”

“you’recomingtobathewithus,unclephil,aren’tyou?”theboyscried.

“rather.”

hewastiredandhappy.aftersupper,balancinghimselfagainstthewallofthehutonachairwithoutaback,hesmokedhispipeandlookedatthenight.sallywasbusy.shepassedinandoutofthehut,andhelazilywatchedhermethodicalactions.herwalkattractedhisnotice;itwasnotparticularlygraceful,

butitwaseasyandassured;sheswungherlegsfromthehips,andherfeetseemedtotreadtheearthwithdecision.athelnyhadgoneofftogossipwithoneoftheneighbours,andpresentlyphilipheardhiswifeaddresstheworldingeneral.

“therenow,i’moutofteaandiwantedathelnytogodowntomrs.black’sandgetsome.”apause,andthenhervoicewasraised:“sally,justrundowntomrs.black’sandgetmehalfapoundoftea,willyou?i’verunquiteoutofit.”

“allright,mother.”

mrs.blackhadacottageabouthalfamilealongtheroad,andshecombinedtheofficeofpostmistresswiththatofuniversalprovider.sallycameoutofthehut,turningdownhersleeves.

“shallicomewithyou,sally?”askedphilip.

“don’tyoutrouble.i’mnotafraidtogoalone.”

“ididn’tthinkyouwere;butit’sgettingnearmybedtime,andiwasjustthinkingi’dliketostretchmylegs.”

sallydidnotanswer,andtheysetouttogether.theroadwaswhiteandsilent.therewasnotasoundinthesummernight.theydidnotspeakmuch.

“it’squitehotevennow,isn’tit?”saidphilip.

“ithinkit’swonderfulforthetimeofyear.”

buttheirsilencedidnotseemawkward.theyfounditwaspleasanttowalksidebysideandfeltnoneedofwords.suddenlyatastileinthehedgerowtheyheardalowmurmurofvoices,andinthedarknesstheysawtheoutlineoftwopeople.theyweresittingveryclosetooneanotheranddidnotmoveasphilipandsallypassed.

“iwonderwhothatwas,”saidsally.

“theylookedhappyenough,didn’tthey?”

“iexpecttheytookusforloverstoo.”

theysawthelightofthecottageinfrontofthem,andinaminutewentintothelittleshop.theglaredazzledthemforamoment.

“youarelate,”saidmrs.black.“iwasjustgoingtoshutup.”shelookedattheclock.“gettingonfornine.”

sallyaskedforherhalfpoundoftea(mrs.athelnycouldneverbringherselftobuymorethanhalfapoundatatime),andtheysetoffuptheroadagain.nowandthensomebeastofthenightmadeashort,sharpsound,butitseemedonlytomakethesilencemoremarked.

“ibelieveifyoustoodstillyoucouldhearthesea,”saidsally.

theystrainedtheirears,andtheirfancypresentedthemwithafaintsoundoflittlewaveslappingupagainsttheshingle.whentheypassedthestileagaintheloverswerestillthere,butnowtheywerenotspeaking;theywereinoneanother’sarms,andtheman’slipswerepressedagainstthegirl’s.

“theyseembusy,”saidsally.

theyturnedacorner,andabreathofwarmwindbeatforamomentagainsttheirfaces.theearthgaveforthitsfreshness.therewassomethingstrangeinthetremulousnight,andsomething,youknewnotwhat,seemedtobewaiting;thesilencewasonasuddenpregnantwithmeaning.philiphadaqueerfeelinginhisheart,itseemedveryfull,itseemedtomelt(thehackneyedphrasesexpressedpreciselythecurioussensation),hefelthappyandanxiousandexpectant.tohismemorycamebackthoselinesinwhichjessicaandlorenzomurmurmelodiouswordstooneanother,cappingeachother’sutterance;butpassionshinesbrightandclearthroughtheconceitsthatamusethem.hedidnotknowwhattherewasintheairthatmadehissensessostrangelyalert;itseemedtohimthathewaspuresoultoenjoythescentsandthesoundsandthesavoursoftheearth.hehadneverfeltsuchanexquisitecapacityforbeauty.hewasafraidthatsallybyspeakingwouldbreakthespell,butshesaidneveraword,andhewantedtohearthesoundofhervoice.

itslowrichnesswasthevoiceofthecountrynightitself.theyarrivedatthefieldthroughwhichshehadtowalktogetbacktothehuts.philipwentintoholdthegateopenforher.

“well,hereithinki’llsaygood-night.”

“thankyouforcomingallthatwaywithme.”

shegavehimherhand,andashetookit,hesaid:

“ifyouwereveryniceyou’dkissmegood-nightliketherestofthefamily.”

“idon’tmind,”shesaid.

philiphadspokeninjest.hemerelywantedtokissher,becausehewashappyandhelikedherandthenightwassolovely.

“good-nightthen,”hesaid,withalittlelaugh,drawinghertowardshim.

shegavehimherlips;theywerewarmandfullandsoft;helingeredalittle,theywerelikeaflower;then,heknewnothow,withoutmeaningit,heflunghisarmsroundher.sheyieldedquitesilently.herbodywasfirmandstrong.hefeltherheartbeatagainsthis.thenhelosthishead.hissensesoverwhelmedhimlikeafloodofrushingwaters.hedrewherintothedarkershadowofthehedge.