into new life； and self is at its feeblest。
And Stephen's self； feeling the magnetic currents of that ebb…tide drawing it down into murmurous slumber； out beyond the sand…bars of individuality and class； threw up its little hands and began to cry for help。 The purple sea of self…forgetfulness； under the dim； impersonal sky； seemed to him so cold and terrible。 It had no limit that he could see； no rules but such as hung too far away； written in the hieroglyphics of paling stars。 He could feel no order in the lift and lap of the wan waters round his limbs。 Where would those waters carry him？ To what depth of still green silence？ Was his own little daughter to go down into this sea that knew no creed but that of self…forgetfulness； that respected neither class nor personthis sea where a few wandering streaks seemed all the evidence of the precious differences between mankind？ God forbid it
And； turning on his elbow； he looked at her who had given him this daughter。 In the mystery of his wife's sleeping facethe face of her most near and dear to himhe tried hard not to see a likeness to Mr。 Stone。 He fell back somewhat comforted with the thought： 'That old chap has his one ideahis Universal Brotherhood。 He's absolutely absorbed in it。 I don't see it in Cis's face a bit。 Quite the contrary。'
But suddenly a flash of clear； hard cynicism amounting to inspiration utterly disturbed him： The old chap； indeed； was so wrapped up in himself and his precious book as to be quite unconscious that anyone else was alive。 Could one be everybody's brother if one were blind to their existence？ But this freak of Thyme's was an actual try to be everybody's sister。 For that； he supposed； one must forget oneself。 Why； it was really even a worse case than that of Mr。 Stone！ And to Stephen there was something awful in this thought。
The first small bird of morning； close to the open window； uttered a feeble chirrup。 Into Stephen's mind there leaped without reason recollection of the morning after his first term at school； when； awakened by the birds； he had started up and fished out from under his pillow his catapult and the box of shot he had brought home and taken to sleep with him。 He seemed to see again those leaden shot with their bluish sheen； and to feel them； round； and soft； and heavy； rolling about his palm。 He seemed to hear Hilary's surprised voice saying： 〃Hallo； Stevie！ you awake？〃
No one had ever had a better brother than old Hilary。 His only fault was that he had always been too kind。 It was his kindness that had done for him； and made his married life a failure。 He had never asserted himself enough with that woman； his wife。 Stephen turned over on his other side。 'All this confounded business；' he thought； 'comes from over…sympathising。 That's what's the matter with Thyme； too。' Long he lay thus； while the light grew stronger； listening to Cecilia's gentle breathing； disturbed to his very marrow by these thoughts。
The first post brought no letter from Thyme； and the announcement soon after； that Mr。 Hilary had come to breakfast； was received by both Stephen and Cecilia with a welcome such as the anxious give to anything which shows promise of distracting them。
Stephen made haste down。 Hilary； with a very grave and harassed face； was in the dining…room。 It was he； however； who； after one look at Stephen； said：
〃What's the matter； Stevie？〃
Stephen took up the Standard。 In spite of his self…control； his hand shook a little。
〃It's a ridiculous business；〃 he said。 〃That precious young Sanitist has so worked his confounded theories into Thyme that she has gone off to the Euston Road to put them into practice； of all things！〃
At the half…concerned amusement on Hilary's face his quick and rather narrow eyes glinted。
〃It's not exactly for you to laugh； Hilary；〃 he said。 〃It's all of a piece with your cursed sentimentality about those Hughs； and that girl。 I knew it would end in a mess。〃
Hilary answered this unjust and unexpected outburst by a look； and Stephen； with the strange feeling of inferiority which would come to him in Hilary's presence against his better judgment； lowered his own glance。
〃My dear boy；〃 said Hilary； 〃if any bit of my character has crept into Thyme； I'm truly sorry。〃
Stephen took his brother's hand and gave it a good grip； and； Cecilia coming in； they all sat down。
Cecilia at once noted what Stephen in his preoccupation had notthat Hilary had come to tell them something。 But she did not like to ask him what it was； though she knew that in the presence of their trouble Hilary was too delicate to obtrude his own。 She did not like； either； to talk of her trouble in the presence of his。 They all talked； therefore； of indifferent thingswhat music they had heard； what plays they had seeneating but little； and drinking tea。 In the middle of a remark about the opera； Stephen； looking up； saw Martin himself standing in the doorway。 The young Sanitist looked pale； dusty； and dishevelled。 He advanced towards Cecilia； and said with his usual cool determination：
〃I've brought her back； Aunt Cis。〃
At that moment； fraught with such relief； such pure joy； such desire to say a thousand things； Cecilia could only murmur： 〃Oh； Martin！〃
Stephen； who had jumped up； asked： 〃Where is she？〃
〃Gone to her room。〃
〃Then perhaps；〃 said Stephen； regaining at once his dry composure； 〃you will give us some explanation of this folly。〃
〃She's no use to us at present。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃None。〃
〃Then；〃 said Stephen； 〃kindly understand that we have no use for you in future； or any of your sort。〃
Martin looked round the table； resting his eyes on each in turn。
〃You're right；〃 he said。 〃Good…bye！〃
Hilary and Cecilia had risen； too。 There was silence。 Stephen crossed to the door。
〃You seem to me；〃 he said suddenly； in his driest voice； 〃with your new manners and ideas； quite a pernicious youth。〃
Cecilia stretched her hands out towards Martin； and there was a faint tinkling as of chains。
〃You must know； dear；〃 she said； 〃how anxious we've all been。 Of course； your uncle doesn't mean that。〃
The same scornful tenderness with which he was wont to look at Thyme passed into Martin's face。
〃All right； Aunt Cis；〃 he said； 〃if Stephen doesn't mean it； he ought to。 To mean things is what matters。〃 He stooped and kissed her forehead。 〃Give that to Thyme for me；〃 he said。 〃I shan't see her for a bit。〃
〃You'll never see her； sir；〃 said Stephen dryly； 〃if I can help it！ The liquor of your Sanitism is too bright and effervescent。〃
Martin's smile broadened。 〃For old bottles；〃 he said； and with another slow look round went out。
Stephen's mouth assumed its driest twist。 〃Bumptious young devil！〃 he said。 〃If that is the new young man； defend us！〃
Over the cool dining…room； with its faint scent of pinks； of melon； and of ham； came silence。 Suddenly Cecilia glided from the room。 Her light footsteps were heard hurrying； now that she was not visible； up to Thyme。
Hilary； too； had moved towards the door。 In spite of his preoccupation； Stephen could not help noticing how very worn his brother looked。
〃You look quite seedy； old boy；〃 he said。 〃Will you have some brandy？〃
Hilary shook his head。
〃Now that you've got Thyme back；〃 he said； 〃I'd better let you know my news。 I'm going abroad to…morrow。 I don't know whether I shall come back again to live with B。〃
Stephen gave a low whistle； then； pressing Hilary's arm； he said： 〃Anything you decide； old man； I'll always back you in； but〃
〃I'm going alone。〃
In his relief Stephen violated the laws of reticence。
〃Thank Heaven for that！ I was afraid you were beginning to lose your head about that girl〃
〃I'm not quite fool enough；〃 said Hilary； 〃to imagine that such a liaison would be anything but misery in the long…run。 If I took the child I should have to stick to her； but I'm not proud of leaving her in the lurch； Stevie。〃
The tone of his voice was so bitter that Stephen seized his hand。
〃My dear old man； you're too kind。 Why； she's no hold on younot the smallest in the world！〃
〃Except the hold of this devotion I've roused in her； God knows how； and her destitution。〃
〃You let these people haunt you；〃 said Stephen。 〃It's quite a mistakeit really is。〃
〃I had forgotten to mention that I am not an iceberg；〃 muttered Hilary。
Stephen looked into his face without speaking； then with the utmost earnestness he said：
〃However much you may be attracted； it's simply unthinkable for a man like you to go outside his class。〃
〃Class！ Yes！〃 muttered Hilary： 〃Good…bye！〃
And with a long grip of his brother's hand he went away。
Stephen turned to the window。 For all the care and contrivance bestowed on the view； far away to the left the back courts of an alley could be seen； and as though some gadfly had planted in him its small poisonous sting； he moved back from the sight at once。 'Confusion！' he thought。 'Are we never to get rid of these infernal people？'
His eyes lighted on the melon。 A single slice lay by itself on a blue…green dish。 Leaning over a plate； with a desperation quite unlike himself； he took an enormous bite。 Again and again he bit the sl