The Brother of Daphne

y, "is all right.

at he meant, and that no

it again now. You're quite sure you do know what

e quiet?" s

rig

l, and myself-girded our jaded loins, packed, crawled into the car, and rolled down to Cornwall, there to bui

ming down by road, and our

ts would not

t were patently feeling the heat, took hold of

bulky packages involves risk of injury to passe

s life by getting into a tram-line, and said I ought

his car are already three humorists. Under these unfortunate ci

the near hind tyre b

uying a new bicycle, but I believe he

city soon after five and slipped out to see Stonehenge. There were a few other people there, and one or two of them turned to watch

n-law was in a certain mood and no fit companion for the sensitive. Memories of the unutterable torment, to which on like occasions we had been mercilessly s

ddenly upon him. More to our dismay than surprise he had become the centre of a

e is my Aunt! She'll tell you. Aunt Daphne, w

der her breath, turning hurried

eat, and turned to his

incident. It was the only string bag they had, and it was an awful blow to her. It upset him, too,

r to him than ever. Like a

Marks Act, for selling Gruyere cheese with too big holes in it. Five years his sentence was. Le

on's son. I approached Berry and laid a hand u

Now, this man is honest and a most careful driver, but when he is, so to speak, off duty, he is so unfortunate as to suffer from delusions, usually connected with crime and the administra

," falter

satisfied myself that he did murder the woman,

said Berr

led, and a small boy in a green

nough evidence against you, so we won't argue i

Berry, feeling in his pock

visible from some point of vantage on the side other to that on which we stood. Others agreed that they had no idea that it

u, sir," said Berry

r genial and guileless, in a high holiday humour in the foreground. At the same time, as we walked back to the car, I felt that

no reason why he should be made to do the hundred in about twelve seconds. He wasn't in strict traini

ly killed the grass for miles around. Didn't you see how brown it had gone? That," he

not until we were within three miles of our village that we lost the way. When

agog with smiling; anon, provoked by an idle breeze's banter, you shall see it black with rage. In the morning, maybe, it will sleep placidly enough in the sunshine, but at eventide the wind has ruffled its temper, so that it mutters and heaves with anger, breathing forth threatenings. Yet the next dawn finds it alive with mischievous

f the morning sun, half a mile from the village and

r a

de you come here?" sa

stared at her

he said d

id, "Kindly return it, and I will dea

're going to s

I took the rooms. I drove the car nearly the whole way do

I had to wear the same tie three days running, and go down to

d purblind idiocy of railway officials, I ignored this ex

tremble for you. Only yesterday, just befo

d my target, as if e

t reflections upon my s

aid eve

tention. The next performance will be at four o'cl

My sister got up from the clump of heather in which she was ensconce

said; "you're not su

d I, "what have

ng-dress,

the hotel and got it, they were positive

looked down upon it, all smiling in

nally, my doctor bled me just before I came away. But don't let m

aphne took u

he rocks! Why, we should slip and brea

en us three shirts. Torn into strips, they wil

is a field of lilies, its sea perfumed

ns, O Christians! For myself, if I start at once, I shall be able to get back with the coastguard's ambulance

ty of seaweed of any description. On the other hand, the sun is hot, the sand is soft, and I have already selected that rock, in the seclusion of whose shade I

d provocative type, I turned down the path I had not trodden for some three years

istance, apparently descending into a neighbouring cove. After a rest on a rock, I set out to swim round and join them. It was further than I thought, and I was glad to wade out

id somebody, and the next

en me time to moist

t would have

, I suppose you're The Daily G

ravels ap

lf on eluding the Press since break

y u

ophized

e to report the chap

ra click

ccept service?" (Here I rolled over and leaned on my elbow.) "You do look fit. Just move your heel out of that pool-there's an anemone go

ke

ove

on't put my

rous practice

orth th

live

at the back into two long, thick plaits which were turned up and hair-pinned round the top of her head. Her features were beautiful and her eyes big and dark as her h

luck, you k

t lu

wn of your existence. Don't be afraid. I merely mean that I am enjoying your society, and I'm glad I came round the corner. I'm not in love

a faint smile on her lips. I flung o

ural either, who is always bored, and who has no use for anyone who isn't forever making mock love to her, or-Why on earth can't

f and look

said. "You

falteringly. "Why have

fiture, she broke int

t, I was really enjoying your com

ead

there's your-Look

race you to that

e swam back together, and she took her seat on the s

ngular man," she

en told so

ather

at

want me to ma

" This emp

f a change,

while she eyed me sus

ave my cove if you're

was unaware that I had the honour

ally know who I was-- B

p in the distance. "Now, that," I sai

rqu

I mean. I

ive thou

what that really means unless it means tha

isplac

with a grinding crash. There was a matter of seventy souls aboard, and I shall never forget the look on the captain's face as the ship's cat stole his

ear a goat

ts. But my snake belt was

hink it's about time

," I pleaded; "th

stay here all day, do you? We're

bread and jug of wine all right, but

hinking he wanted to kiss her, or marr

and looked towards w

er like-forgiv

Heav

another dart at something else, and was knocked down by a roller. I had her on her feet in

s it, M

the four inches of water in which

tide's come up into my cave while I've been making a fool of myself

ht-I'll

imbed on to the rock, now almost submerged, to which we had raced, I could see no

our cave is," I said, as

nly to find the water too high to enter. I did try, but a wave lifted me up to the roo

he deliberately wrung the last atom of water out of the derelict stocking, smoothed it out care

I patted her shoulder an

d to my cove and dress, and then go and get you some fresh clothes before anyone's the wiser.

t expletives, indicative of combined horror and

?" wailed t

e shore, danced my grey hat. Beyond it, a little

straw hat. For the next two minutes I was in imminent danger of drowning. At last I began to swim feebly, blindly back. When I reached the shore, I fell on my knees in the surf and laughed till the eighth wave knocked me head over heels and the ninth broke into my open jaws and choked me. The next moment the gir

f, "mad! Must have been stung by a j

her

I'm as sane as

y wh

at-there it is. But here is Berry's shirt, and miles out there is Daphne's straw hat. If I'd stayed long enough, I've

gain into uproarious laughter. This ti

't make it any better for me, because

ty is Strength," said I, "but I do

e this, even with that on.

that on: it'd only

e wh

l. Indeed,

d me suspic

abou

ou mean?" I

ack to the hotel somehow?

e top of the cliffs would help me there. But, my dear gi

body w

or sitting on the terr

s a bac

st drop in at the office for the key of my room, and see if there were any letters on the way up, and-- My dear gir

s a special

o want to m

ped. This sort of mo

my

verybody'd

d. That's just wh

t do somethin

soled shoes. The Mermaid darted behind a rock, and I advanced gratefully up the foreshore to the fringe of stones. The noise grew louder, and the slips more frequent, until there was

" sa

ned-he didn't know what-but he heard the word 'hotel.' You see, you shouting to him from he

down himself when-

ost office sir. Said he told you s

stguard. Be

implicit instructions and, with her assistance, the numbers of our respective rooms. He wrote it all do

turned to go. "You're sure you'll know t

all righ

d have beheld the singular and doubtless pleasing spectacle of the Mermaid

lood on my hand for a

hat have you do

. "Nothing of any consequence, I assur

tion. Let me

s bound up with a strip of chemise, and the bandage was tied with t

ghtful chambermaid in a little dressing-case. Mine were tied together with a pi

n," I said, "reason to believe that there are others even now in the same or self-same plight as that in whic

romi

the exception of Berry, that is. Prior to our arrival, he had been hovering about on the top of the cliff, but the instant he descried us, and while we were yet a great way off, he had retired precipitately, and was now busy rejoining the others with Agag's walk and a profusion of emb

ourselves and settle finally our plan of

ain, when we came upon them the other side of a large rock. One and all they sprawled easily

ht bending. Berry especially. That artist was busily fashioning a minia

them all to

lunch," I explained,

h wi

lk, we thought we'd come alo

lite murmur of

is glorious. I almost wish

, but none of the oth

f colouring

ng to bathe aga

oice, and I saw a vision of Berry in my

ther too soon after lunch. But I'm going t

couldn't do mu

sly. Jonah pretended to be asleep. After a furtive glance at the top of

r a

to bathe any more, aren't y

But leave us here in peace. I have almost evolved a post-futurist picture which will revolutionize the artistic world. I shall call it 'The Passing of a Bathe: a F

some o

already left

sked Jonah to come and help her to get

oes she want mus

Berry. "Our cobbles are

er shoulder, Jill's grey eyes regarded me wistfully. I made a rapid calculation. Yes, the

tten about the mussels. Daphne's brows were knitted, and Jonah was looking ruefu

"I say, aren't you ever goin

h the tail of my eye I saw Berry start an

u two go on and order a big tea at t

like that," I said.

this remark, the Mermaid rose an

o Daphne an

arling, and Jill looks lovely, too,

en her, strolled naturally enough towards the path up the cliff. The other four we

with my hand an

," I said

en we want to," sa

aiden reach the path. A

owly, "I'll send your other clothes

r!" I

ame from

old,

as she had last seen me. Berry said afterwards that Jonah gained on me while

ed it generously enough, but, despite our hunger, the Mermaid and I decided to have our own tea at the ho

why you're h

think,

go and have

rmaid, y

ishing you had given up

hould have t

t very polite o

dn't hav

cornfully for

inted in you

re so in a mo

hy

ng to have a ch

you're goin

you? Ye

up and down

an," she said slow

ave your side again. Yes, it is. I might have known better than to say a t

with a mischievou

r small, brown hand. Up

hink that I thought you wa

," said I. "But

tha

me if I didn't. The ver

think the

d they mig