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Page 62
"What nonsense!" I said rather shamefacedly. "How often have I blushed
in secret to think of that awful remark. But I was rather harried, you
must admit."
Amroth came across to me and put his arm through mine.
"I forgive you," he said, "and I will admit that I was very provoking;
but things were in a mess, and, besides, it was very inconvenient for me
to be called away at that moment from my job!"
But Lucius came up to me and said:
"I have come to apologise to you. My behaviour was hideous and horrible.
I won't make any excuses, and I don't suppose you can ever forget what I
did. I was utterly and entirely in the wrong."
"Thank you, Lucius," I said. "But please say no more about it. My own
behaviour on that occasion was infamous too. And really we need not go
back on all that. The whole affair has become quite an agreeable
reminiscence. It is a pleasure, when it is all over, to have been
thoroughly and wholesomely shown up, and to discover that one has been a
pompous and priggish ass. And you and Amroth between you did me that
blessed turn. I am not quite sure which of you I hated most. But I may
say one thing, and that is that I am heartily glad to see you have left
the land of delight."
"It was a tedious place really," said Lucius, "but one felt bound in
honour to make the best of it. But indeed after that day it was
horrible. And I wearied for a sight of Cynthia! But you seem to have
done very well for yourselves here. May I venture to say frankly how
well she is looking, and you too? But I am not going to interrupt you.
I have got my billet, I am thankful to say. It is not a very exalted one,
but it is better than I deserve; and I shall try to make up for wasted
time."
"Hear, hear!" said Amroth; "a very creditable sentiment, to be sure!"
Lucius smiled and blushed. Then he said:
"I never was much of a hand at expressing myself correctly; but you know
what I mean. Don't take the wind out of my sails!"
And then Amroth turned to me, and said suddenly:
"And now I have something else to tell you, and not wholly good news; so
I will just say it at once, without beating about the bush. You are to
come with us too."
Cynthia looked up suddenly with a glance of pale inquiry. Amroth took
her hand.
"No, dear child," he said, "you are not to accompany him. You must stay
here awhile, until the child is grown. But don't look like that! There
is no such thing as separation here, or anywhere. Don't make it harder
for us all. It is unpleasant of course; but, good heavens, what would
become of us all if it were not for that! How dull we should be without
suffering!"
"Yes, yes," said Cynthia, "I know--and I will say nothing against it.
But--" and she burst into tears.
"Come, come," said Amroth cheerfully, "we must not go back to the old
days, and behave as if there were partings and funerals. I will give you
five minutes alone to say good-bye. Lucius, we must start," and, turning
to me, he said, "Meet us in five minutes by the oak-tree in the road."
They went out, Lucius kissing Cynthia's hand in silence.
Cynthia came up to me and put her arms round my neck and her cheek to
mine. We sobbed, I fear, like two children.
"Don't forget me, dearest," she said.
"My darling, what a word!" I said.
"Oh, how happy we have been together!" she said.
"Yes, and shall be happier still," I said.
And then with more words and signs of love, too sacred even to be
written down, we parted. It was over. I looked back once, and saw my
darling gather the child to her heart, and look up once more at me. Then
I closed the door; something seemed to surge up in my heart and
overwhelm me; and then the ring on my finger sent a sharp pang through
my whole frame, which recalled me to myself. And I say it with all the
strength of my spirit, I saw how joyful a thing it was to suffer and
grieve. I came down to the oak. The two were waiting in silence, and
Lucius seemed to be in tears. Amroth put his arm through mine.
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