was the one really paying guest； and she would go； and the bailiffs
（in consequence） would come； but after that he knew nothing of his own
conduct except by the protests it evoked。
〃Leave me alone； Mr。 Inglewoodleave me alone； that's not the way to help。〃
〃But I can help you；〃 said Arthur； with grinding certainty；
〃I can； I can； I can。。。〃
〃Why； you said；〃 cried the girl； 〃that you were much weaker than me。〃
〃So I am weaker than you；〃 said Arthur； in a voice that went
vibrating through everything； 〃but not just now。〃
〃Let go my hands！〃 cried Diana。 〃I won't be bullied。〃
In one element he was much stronger than shethe matter of humour。
This leapt up in him suddenly； and he laughed； saying： 〃Well； you are mean。
You know quite well you'll bully me all the rest of my life。
You might allow a man the one minute of his life when he's allowed to bully。〃
It was as extraordinary for him to laugh as for her to cry；
and for the first time since her childhood Diana was entirely
off her guard。
〃Do you mean you want to marry me？〃 she said。
〃Why； there's a cab at the door！〃 cried Inglewood； springing up
with an unconscious energy and bursting open the glass doors
that led into the garden。
As he led her out by the hand they realized somehow for the first time
that the house and garden were on a steep height over London。 And yet；
though they felt the place to be uplifted； they felt it also to be secret：
it was like some round walled garden on the top of one of the
turrets of heaven。
Inglewood looked around dreamily； his brown eyes devouring
all sorts of details with a senseless delight。 He noticed for
the first time that the railings of the gate beyond the garden
bushes were moulded like little spearheads and painted blue。
He noticed that one of the blue spears was loosened in its place；
and hung sideways； and this almost made him laugh。 He thought it
somehow exquisitely harmless and funny that the railing should
be crooked； he thought he should like to know how it happened；
who did it； and how the man was getting on。
When they were gone a few feet across that fiery grass realized
that they were not alone。 Rosamund Hunt and the eccentric
Mr。 Moon； both of whom they had last seen in the blackest
temper of detachment； were standing together on the lawn。
They were standing in quite an ordinary manner； and yet they
looked somehow like people in a book。
〃Oh；〃 said Diana； 〃what lovely air！〃
〃I know；〃 called out Rosamund； with a pleasure so positive
that it rang out like a complaint。 〃It's just like that horrid；
beastly fizzy stuff they gave me that made me feel happy。〃
〃Oh； it isn't like anything but itself！〃 answered Diana； breathing deeply。
〃Why； it's all cold； and yet it feels like fire。〃
〃Balmy is the word we use in Fleet Street；〃
said Mr。 Moon。 〃Balmyespecially on the crumpet。〃
And he fanned himself quite unnecessarily with his straw hat。
They were all full of little leaps and pulsations of objectless
and airy energy。 Diana stirred and stretched her long arms rigidly；
as if crucified； in a sort of excruciating restfulness；
Michael stood still for long intervals； with gathered muscles；
then spun round like a teetotum； and stood still again；
Rosamund did not trip； for women never trip； except when they
fall on their noses； but she struck the ground with her foot
as she moved； as if to some inaudible dance tune； and Inglewood；
leaning quite quietly against a tree； had unconsciously
clutched a branch and shaken it with a creative violence。
Those giant gestures of Man； that made the high statues
and the strokes of war； tossed and tormented all their limbs。
Silently as they strolled and stood they were bursting like
batteries with an animal magnetism。
〃And now；〃 cried Moon quite suddenly； stretching out a hand on each side；
〃let's dance round that bush！〃
〃Why； what bush do you mean？〃 asked Rosamund； looking round with a sort
of radiant rudeness。
〃The bush that isn't there；〃 said Michael〃the Mulberry Bush。〃
They had taken each other's hands； half laughing and quite ritually；
and before they could disconnect again Michael spun them all round；
like a demon spinning the world for a top。 Diana felt； as the circle of
the horizon flew instantaneously around her； a far aerial sense of the ring
of heights beyond London and corners where she had climbed as a child；
she seemed almost to hear the rooks cawing about the old pines on Highgate；
or to see the glowworms gathering and kindling in the woods of Box Hill。
The circle brokeas all such perfect circles of levity must break
and sent its author； Michael； flying； as by centrifugal force； far away
against the blue rails of the gate。 When reeling there he suddenly
raised shout after shout of a new and quite dramatic character。
〃Why； it's Warner！〃 he shouted； waving his arms。 〃It's jolly old Warner
with a new silk hat and the old silk moustache！〃
〃Is that Dr。 Warner？〃 cried Rosamund； bounding forward in a
burst of memory； amusement； and distress。 〃Oh； I'm so sorry！
Oh； do tell him it's all right！〃
〃Let's take hands and tell him；〃 said Michael Moon。 For indeed；
while they were talking； another hansom cab had dashed up behind
the one already waiting； and Dr。 Herbert Warner； leaving a companion
in the cab； had carefully deposited himself on the pavement。
Now； when you are an eminent physician and are wired for by
an heiress to come to a case of dangerous mania； and when；
as you come in through the garden to the house； the heiress
and her landlady and two of the gentlemen boarders join hands
and dance round you in a ring； calling out； 〃It's all right！ it's
all right！〃 you are apt to be flustered and even displeased。
Dr。 Warner was a placid but hardly a placable person。
The two things are by no means the same； and even when Moon explained
to him that he； Warner； with his high hat and tall； solid figure；
was just such a classic figure as OUGHT to be danced round
by a ring of laughing maidens on some old golden Greek seashore
even then he seemed to miss the point of the general rejoicing。
〃Inglewood！〃 cried Dr。 Warner； fixing his former disciple with a stare；
〃are you mad？〃
Arthur flushed to the roots of his brown hair； but he answered；
easily and quietly enough； 〃Not now。 The truth is； Warner； I've just
made a rather important medical discoveryquite in your line。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked the great doctor stiffly〃what discovery？〃
〃I've discovered that health really is catching； like disease；〃
answered Arthur。
〃Yes； sanity has broken out； and is spreading；〃 said Michael；
performing a ~pas seul~ with a thoughtful expression。
〃Twenty thousand more cases taken to the hospitals；
nurses employed night and day。〃
Dr。 Warner studied Michael's grave face and lightly moving
legs with an unfathomed wonder。 〃And is THIS； may I ask；〃
he said； 〃the sanity that is spreading？〃
〃You must forgive me； Dr。 Warner；〃 cried Rosamund Hunt heartily。
〃I know I've treated you badly； but indeed it was all a mistake。
I was in a frightfully bad temper when I sent for you； but now
it all seems like a dreamand and Mr。 Smith is the sweetest；
most sensible； most delightful old thing that ever existed；
and he may marry any one he likesexcept me。〃
〃I should suggest Mrs。 Duke；〃 said Michael。
The gravity of Dr。 Warner's face increased。 He took a slip
of pink paper from his waistcoat pocket； with his pale
blue eyes quietly fixed on Rosamund's face all the time。
He spoke with a not inexcusable frigidity。
〃Really； Miss Hunt；〃 he said； 〃you are not yet very reassuring。
You sent me this wire only half an hour ago： ‘Come at once；
if possible； with another doctor。 ManInnocent Smithgone mad
on premises； and doing dreadful things。 Do you know anything of him？'
I went round at once to a distinguished colleague of mine； a doctor
who is also a private detective and an authority on criminal lunacy；
he has come round with me； and is waiting in the cab。 Now you calmly
tell me that this criminal madman is a highly sweet and sane old thing；
with accompaniments that set me speculating on your own definition of sanity。
I hardly comprehend the change。〃
〃Oh； how can one explain a change in sun and moon and everybody's soul？〃
cried Rosamund； in despair。 〃Must I confess we had got so morbid
as to think him mad merely because he wanted to get married； and that we
didn't even know it was only because we wanted to get married ourselves？
We'll humiliate ourselves； if you like； doctor； we're happy enough。〃
〃Where is Mr。 Smith？〃 asked Warner of Inglewood very sharply。
Arthur started； he had forgotten all about the central figure of their farce；
who had not been visible for an hour or more。
〃II think he's on the other side of the house； by the dustbin；〃 he said。
〃He may be on the road to Russia；〃 said Warner； 〃but he must be found。〃
And he strode away and disappeared round a corner of the house
by the sunflowers。
〃I hope；〃 said Rosamund； 〃he won't really interfere with Mr。 Smith。〃
〃Interfere with the daisies！〃 said Michael with a snort。
〃A man can't be locked up for falling in loveat least
I hope not。〃
〃No； I think even a doctor couldn't make a