with such inexhaustible follies； I have a very simple answer to that；
though it is one that will not be approved。
〃There is but one answer； and I am sorry if you don't like it。
If Innocent is happy； it is because he IS innocent。 If he can defy
the conventions； it is just because he can keep the commandments。
It is just because he does not want to kill but to excite to life
that a pistol is still as exciting to him as it is to a schoolboy。
It is just because he does not want to steal； because he does not covet
his neighbour's goods； that he has captured the trick （oh； how we all
long for it！）； the trick of coveting his own goods。 It is just because
he does not want to commit adultery that he achieves the romance of sex；
it is just because he loves one wife that he has a hundred honeymoons。
If he had really murdered a man； if he had really deserted a woman；
he would not be able to feel that a pistol or a love…letter was like a song
at least； not a comic song。〃
〃Do not imagine； please； that any such attitude is easy
to me or appeals in any particular way to my sympathies。
I am an Irishman； and a certain sorrow is in my bones； bred either
of the persecutions of my creed； or of my creed itself。
Speaking singly； I feel as if a man was tied to tragedy；
and there was no way out of the trap of old age and doubt。
But if there is a way out； then； by Christ and St。 Patrick；
this is the way out。 If one could keep as happy as a child or a dog；
it would be by being as innocent as a child； or as sinless as a dog。
Barely and brutally to be goodthat may be the road；
and he may have found it。 Well； well； well； I see a look
of skepticism on the face of my old friend Moses。 Mr。 Gould
does not believe that being perfectly good in all respects
would make a man merry。〃
〃No；〃 said Gould； with an unusual and convincing gravity；
〃I do not believe that being perfectly good in all respects
would make a man merry。〃
〃Well；〃 said Michael quietly； 〃will you tell me one thing？
Which of us has ever tried it？〃
A silence ensued； rather like the silence of some long geological
epoch which awaits the emergence of some unexpected type；
for there rose at last in the stillness a massive figure
that the other men had almost completely forgotten。
〃Well； gentlemen；〃 said Dr。 Warner cheerfully； 〃I've been pretty
well entertained with all this pointless and incompetent tomfoolery
for a couple of days； but it seems to be wearing rather thin；
and I'm engaged for a city dinner。 Among the hundred flowers
of futility on both sides I was unable to detect any sort of reason
why a lunatic should be allowed to shoot me in the back garden。〃
He had settled his silk hat on his head and gone out sailing placidly to
the garden gate； while the almost wailing voice of Pym still followed him：
〃But really the bullet missed you by several feet。〃 And another voice added：
〃The bullet missed him by several years。〃
There was a long and mainly unmeaning silence； and then
Moon said suddenly； 〃We have been sitting with a ghost。
Dr。 Herbert Warner died years ago。〃
Chapter V
How the Great Wind Went
from Beacon House
Mary was walking between Diana and Rosamund slowly up and down the garden；
they were silent； and the sun had set。 Such spaces of daylight as remained
open in the west were of a warm…tinted white； which can be compared
to nothing but a cream cheese； and the lines of plumy cloud that ran
across them had a soft but vivid violet bloom； like a violet smoke。
All the rest of the scene swept and faded away into a dove…like gray；
and seemed to melt and mount into Mary's dark…gray figure until she seemed
clothed with the garden and the skies。 There was something in these last
quiet colours that gave her a setting and a supremacy； and the twilight；
which concealed Diana's statelier figure and Rosamund's braver array；
exhibited and emphasized her； leaving her the lady of the garden； and alone。
When they spoke at last it was evident that a conversation long
fallen silent was being revived。
〃But where is your husband taking you？〃 asked Diana in her practical voice。
〃To an aunt；〃 said Mary； 〃that's just the joke。 There really
is an aunt； and we left the children with her when I arranged
to be turned out of the other boarding…house down the road。
We never take more than a week of this kind of holiday；
but sometimes we take two of them together。〃
〃Does the aunt mind much？〃 asked Rosamund innocently。 〃Of course；
I dare say it's very narrow…minded andwhat's that other word？
you know； what Goliath wasbut I've known many aunts who would
think itwell； silly。〃
〃Silly？〃 cried Mary with great heartiness。 〃Oh； my Sunday hat！
I should think it was silly！ But what do you expect？
He really is a good man； and it might have been snakes or something。〃
〃Snakes？〃 inquired Rosamund； with a slightly puzzled interest。
〃Uncle Harry kept snakes； and said they loved him；〃 replied Mary
with perfect simplicity。 〃Auntie let him have them in his pockets；
but not in the bedroom。〃
〃And you〃 began Diana； knitting her dark brows a little。
〃Oh； I do as auntie did；〃 said Mary； 〃as long as we're not away
from the children more than a fortnight together I play the game。
He calls me ‘Manalive；' and you must write it all one word；
or he's quite flustered。〃
〃But if men want things like that；〃 began Diana。
〃Oh； what's the good of talking about men？〃 cried Mary impatiently；
〃why； one might as well be a lady novelist or some horrid thing。
There aren't any men。 There are no such people。 There's a man；
and whoever he is he's quite different。〃
〃So there is no safety；〃 said Diana in a low voice。
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 answered Mary； lightly enough；
〃there's only two things generally true of them。
At certain curious times they're just fit to take care of us；
and they're never fit to take care of themselves。〃
〃There is a gale getting up；〃 said Rosamund suddenly。
〃Look at those trees over there； a long way off； and the
clouds going quicker。〃
〃I know what you're thinking about；〃 said Mary； 〃and don't
you be silly fools。 Don't you listen to the lady novelists。
You go down the king's highway； for God's truth； it is
God's。 Yes； my dear Michael will often be extremely untidy。
Arthur Inglewood will be worsehe'll be untidy。 But what else
are all the trees and clouds for； you silly kittens？〃
〃The clouds and trees are all waving about；〃 said Rosamund。 〃There is
a storm coming； and it makes me feel quite excited； somehow。 Michael is
really rather like a storm： he frightens me and makes me happy。〃
〃Don't you be frightened；〃 said Mary。 〃All over； these men
have one advantage； they are the sort that go out。〃
A sudden thrust of wind through the trees drifted the dying leaves along
the path； and they could hear the far…off trees roaring faintly。
〃I mean；〃 said Mary； 〃they are the kind that look outwards and get interested
in the world。 It doesn't matter a bit whether it's arguing； or bicycling；
or breaking down the ends of the earth as poor old Innocent does。 Stick to
the man who looks out of the window and tries to understand the world。
Keep clear of the man who looks in at the window and tries to understand you。
When poor old Adam had gone out gardening （Arthur will go out gardening）；
the other sort came along and wormed himself in； nasty old snake。〃
〃You agree with your aunt；〃 said Rosamund； smiling： 〃no snakes
in the bedroom。〃
〃I didn't agree with my aunt very much；〃 replied Mary simply；
〃but I think she was right to let Uncle Harry collect dragons
and griffins； so long as it got him out of the house。〃
Almost at the same moment lights sprang up inside the darkened house；
turning the two glass doors into the garden into gates of beaten gold。
The golden gates were burst open； and the enormous Smith； who had
sat like a clumsy statue for so many hours； came flying and turning
cart…wheels down the lawn and shouting； 〃Acquitted！ acquitted！〃
Echoing the cry； Michael scampered across the lawn to Rosamund and
wildly swung her into a few steps of what was supposed to be a waltz。
But the company knew Innocent and Michael by this time；
and their extravagances were gaily taken for granted； it was far
more extraordinary that Arthur Inglewood walked straight up to Diana
and kissed her as if it had been his sister's birthday。 Even Dr。 Pym；
though he refrained from dancing； looked on with real benevolence；
for indeed the whole of the absurd revelation had disturbed him
less than the others； he half supposed that such irresponsible
tribunals and insane discussions were part of the mediaeval mummeries
of the Old Land。
While the tempest tore the sky as with trumpets； window after window was
lighted up in the house within； and before the company； broken with laughter
and the buffeting of the wind； had groped their way to the house again；
they saw that the great apish figure of Innocent Smith had clambered
out of his own attic window； and roaring again and again； 〃Beacon House！〃
whirled round his head a huge log or trunk from the wood fire below；
of which the river of crimson flame and