in her flamboyant white hat； boa； and parasol； stood framed in the doorway。
She was in a breathing heat； and on her open face was an expression of
the most infantile astonishment。
〃Well； here's a fine game！〃 she said； panting。 〃What am I to do now；
I wonder？ I've wired for Dr。 Warner； that's all I can think of doing。〃
〃What is the matter？〃 asked Diana； rather sharply； but moving
forward like one used to be called upon for assistance。
〃It's Mary；〃 said the heiress； 〃my companion Mary Gray：
that cracked friend of yours called Smith has proposed to her
in the garden； after ten hours' acquaintance； and he wants
to go off with her now for a special licence。〃
Arthur Inglewood walked to the open French windows and looked
out on the garden； still golden with evening light。
Nothing moved there but a bird or two hopping and twittering；
but beyond the hedge and railings； in the road outside
the garden gate； a hansom cab was waiting； with the yellow
Gladstone bag on top of it。
Chapter IV
The Garden of the God
Diana Duke seemed inexplicably irritated at the abrupt entrance
and utterance of the other girl。
〃Well；〃 she said shortly； 〃I suppose Miss Gray can decline him if she
doesn't want to marry him。〃
〃But she DOES want to marry him！〃 cried Rosamund in exasperation。
〃She's a wild； wicked fool； and I won't be parted from her。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said Diana icily； 〃but I really don't see what we can do。〃
〃But the man's balmy； Diana；〃 reasoned her friend angrily。
〃I can't let my nice governess marry a man that's balmy！
You or somebody MUST stop it！Mr。 Inglewood； you're a man；
go and tell them they simply can't。〃
〃Unfortunately； it seems to me they simply can；〃 said Inglewood；
with a depressed air。 〃I have far less right of intervention
than Miss Duke； besides having； of course； far less moral
force than she。〃
〃You haven't either of you got much；〃 cried Rosamund；
the last stays of her formidable temper giving way；
〃I think I'll go somewhere else for a little sense and pluck。
I think I know some one who will help me more than you do；
at any rate。。。 he's a cantankerous beast； but he's a man；
and has a mind； and knows it。。。〃 And she flung out into the garden；
with cheeks aflame； and the parasol whirling like a Catherine wheel。
She found Michael Moon standing under the garden tree； looking over
the hedge； hunched like a bird of prey； with his large pipe hanging down
his long blue chin。 The very hardness of his expression pleased her；
after the nonsense of the new engagement and the shilly…shallying
of her other friends。
〃I am sorry I was cross； Mr。 Moon；〃 she said frankly。 〃I hated you
for being a cynic； but I've been well punished； for I want a cynic
just now。 I've had my fill of sentimentI'm fed up with it。
The world's gone mad； Mr。 Moonall except the cynics； I think。
That maniac Smith wants to marry my old friend Mary； and she
and shedoesn't seem to mind。〃
Seeing his attentive face still undisturbedly smoking； she added smartly；
〃I'm not joking； that's Mr。 Smith's cab outside。 He swears he'll
take her off now to his aunt's； and go for a special licence。
Do give me some practical advice； Mr。 Moon。〃
Mr。 Moon took his pipe out of his mouth； held it in his hand
for an instant reflectively； and then tossed it to the other side
of the garden。 〃My practical advice to you is this；〃 he said：
〃Let him go for his special licence； and ask him to get another
one for you and me。〃
〃Is that one of your jokes？〃 asked the young lady。
〃Do say what you really mean。〃
〃I mean that Innocent Smith is a man of business；〃
said Moon with ponderous precision〃a plain； practical man：
a man of affairs； a man of facts and the daylight。
He has let down twenty ton of good building bricks suddenly
on my head； and I am glad to say they have woken me up。
We went to sleep a little while ago on this very lawn； in this
very sunlight。 We have had a little nap for five years or so；
but now we're going to be married； Rosamund； and I can't see
why that cab。。。〃
〃Really；〃 said Rosamund stoutly； 〃I don't know what you mean。〃
〃What a lie！ cried Michael； advancing on her with brightening eyes。
〃I'm all for lies in an ordinary way； but don't you see that to…night
they won't do？ We've wandered into a world of facts； old girl。
That grass growing； and that sun going down； and that cab at the door；
are facts。 You used to torment and excuse yourself by saying I
was after your money； and didn't really love you。 But if I stood
here now and told you I didn't love youyou wouldn't believe me：
for truth is in this garden to…night。〃
〃Really； Mr。 Moon。。。〃 said Rosamund； rather more faintly。
He kept two big blue magnetic eyes fixed on her face。
〃Is my name Moon？〃 he asked。 〃Is your name Hunt？ On my honour；
they sound to me as quaint and as distant as Red Indian names。
It's as if your name was ‘Swim' and my name was ‘Sunrise。' But our
real names are Husband and Wife； as they were when we fell asleep。〃
〃It is no good；〃 said Rosamund； with real tears in her eyes；
〃one can never go back。〃
〃I can go where I damn please；〃 said Michael； 〃and I can carry
you on my shoulder。〃
〃But really； Michael； really； you must stop and think！〃
cried the girl earnestly。 〃You could carry me off my feet； I dare say；
soul and body； but it may be bitter bad business for all that。
These things done in that romantic rush； like Mr。 Smith's； they
they do attract women； I don't deny it。 As you say； we're all
telling the truth to…night。 They've attracted poor Mary； for one。
They attract me； Michael。 But the cold fact remains：
imprudent marriages do lead to long unhappiness and disappointment
you've got used to your drinks and thingsI shan't be
pretty much longer〃
〃Imprudent marriages！〃 roared Michael。 〃And pray where in earth
or heaven are there any prudent marriages？ Might as well talk
about prudent suicides。 You and I have dawdled round each other
long enough； and are we any safer than Smith and Mary Gray；
who met last night？ You never know a husband till you marry him。
Unhappy！ of course you'll be unhappy。 Who the devil are you
that you shouldn't be unhappy； like the mother that bore you？
Disappointed！ of course we'll be disappointed。 I； for one；
don't expect till I die to be so good a man as I am at this minute
a tower with all the trumpets shouting。〃
〃You see all this；〃 said Rosamund； with a grand sincerity in her solid face；
〃and do you really want to marry me？〃
〃My darling； what else is there to do？〃 reasoned the Irishman。 〃What other
occupation is there for an active man on this earth； except to
marry you？ What's the alternative to marriage； barring sleep？
It's not liberty； Rosamund。 Unless you marry God； as our nuns do in Ireland；
you must marry Manthat is Me。 The only third thing is to marry yourself
yourself； yourself； yourselfthe only companion that is never satisfied
and never satisfactory。〃
〃Michael；〃 said Miss Hunt； in a very soft voice； 〃if you won't talk so much；
I'll marry you。〃
〃It's no time for talking；〃 cried Michael Moon； singing is the only thing。
Can't you find that mandoline of yours； Rosamund？〃
〃Go and fetch it for me；〃 said Rosamund； with crisp and sharp authority。
The lounging Mr。 Moon stood for one split second astonished；
then he shot away across the lawn； as if shod with the feathered
shoes out of the Greek fairy tale。 He cleared three yards
and fifteen daisies at a leap； out of mere bodily levity；
but when he came within a yard or two of the open parlour windows；
his flying feet fell in their old manner like lead；
he twisted round and came back slowly； whistling。 The events
of that enchanted evening were not at an end。
Inside the dark sitting…room of which Moon had caught a glimpse a curious
thing had happened； almost an instant after the intemperate exit
of Rosamund。 It was something which； occurring in that obscure parlour；
seemed to Arthur Inglewood like heaven and earth turning head over heels；
the sea being the ceiling and the stars the floor。 No words can express
how it astonished him； as it astonishes all simple men when it happens。
Yet the stiffest female stoicism seems separated from it only by a sheet of
paper or a sheet of steel。 It indicates no surrender； far less any sympathy。
The most rigid and ruthless woman can begin to cry； just as the most
effeminate man can grow a beard。 It is a separate sexual power；
and proves nothing one way or the other about force of character。
But to young men ignorant of women； like Arthur Inglewood； to see Diana Duke
crying was like seeing a motor…car shedding tears of petrol。
He could never have given （even if his really manly modesty had permitted it）
any vaguest vision of what he did when he saw that portent。 He acted
as men do when a theatre catches firevery differently from how they
would have conceived themselves as acting； whether for better or worse。
He had a faint memory of certain half…stifled explanations； that the heiress
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 ex