The Brother of Daphne

ilvia? Wh

er swains

r, and wi

such grace

might adm

ng the silence; rising up out of it, rather. It was as if Nature dreamed as she lay sleeping, a dream clear-

Sylvia le

via is e

s each mo

dull eart

us garlan

That was the Bairlings' nearest town. Their place, St. Martin, lay twenty odd miles from Fladstadt. But in the town people would show me the way. At

it at half-past nine and only discovered that I had lost it an hour later. It was too late to turn back then. I tried to get on and across by by-roads-alw

ad no jack...Better men than I would have sworn. The imperturbable Jonah would have stamped about the road. As for Berry, with n

o a village I could rouse an innkeeper, and if the place did not boast a jack, at lea

of some fairy town. The building stood upon the left-hand side of the way, and, as I drew slowly alongside, wondering if I dared knock upon its gates for assistance, I found that house and road curled to the left together. Round the bend I had crept, close to the white facade. As I turned, I saw a light above me, shining out over a low balcony of stone.

t us garla

it. Standing upon this perilous perch, I was just able to lay my fingers upon the cold edge of the balcony's floor. With an effort I could grasp one of the stone balusters. An idea occurred to me, and I got carefully down. One of the luggage-carrier's straps was six feet long. I had it loose in a moment. A minute later and I had

od a great tiled stove for burning wood. From the ceiling was hanging a basin of alabaster-an electric fitting, really. The powerful light of its hidden lamps spread, softened, all about the chamber. The blue walls

d pushed up to the shoulder and was looking critically at a scratch, which showed red, high up on her round, white arm. A simple evening frock of old-rose colour, dainty old gold slippers to keep her feet. Her skin was wonderf

ought to apologize?

surprise. For a mom

said, lo

is, I haven't any, and th

letting the sleeve sli

nds, S

for an in

ou come up

see what Silv

led a li

ay she was holy

I know. But the

ind as sh

el

to see if

is

think she

get down

re she isn't," I

ha

awfully kind to be th

" said

ith one leg ove

come in and sit down for a little-I me

id I. "I knew s

, very much all the same. I've f

and a quick step on the balcony. Then two soft hands took hold of my wrists. I look

Who are you and whe

," said I. "I am a g

my name and spoke of my run from Trieste, adding that I sou

red?" she s

lit

est for a while. Yes, and talk to me. Prese

d stood up, clasping he

very h

thing else," she said slowly. "I just tell

bare bent arms, the soft white throat. The

ast asleep in the car. Possibly I have met with an accid

sit down. Even if you are dreaming I suppose you'

u give

he lamps that were set beneath two little silver coffee-pots, standing on a tray on the gate-table. I watched her in silence. When the lamps

u to think me unkind," she

to my

ia,"

S

Silvia. If I were old, I think the sight of you would make me feel young again, and if

deprecating white

"But I know he would hav

on," said I, han

a light, she turned

ow, I think. D'you mind usin

a privileg

il

eas

hrough the mountain air had left me a little cold. I took my seat on an arm

I. "How is it you're not i

th the noise of

rying. The congestion between here and Villach is a disgrace. I met three c

your climbing up like that, you know. It's all right, as it happens, and I

, you very seldom find a piano in the bathroom nowada

like my

ally the one on

oke out of a fa

s rather a good one on the a

e one on the table knocks it. That'll

t li

ts. I beg your pardon,

dainty head and laug

's damaged," she said. "D

s present state they wouldn't hang it anywhere except

w, and when you slipped that strap round, he ju

es? I mean to say, I haven't got my patent with me, and my coronet's in the store-I mea

is is a Bl

titles," I murm

. "You know where Pride goes. Besid

But you're English, Silvia. English, d'you hear? I'll bet they're all over you out here. I k

rgl

I said, "tell me the best way to Fladstad

do you

quarter of an hour. In another ten minutes I sha

to Fladstadt. It's straight

n? Have you ev

kered h

sh people have a place? Peop

ing,"

's see. I'm afraid it's s

y, I'm

ut t

is is h

adt? About t

ree miles to go, and

s the nex

hy

get another

l be back with the car. He's on the way from Fladstadt

Silvia. But have you f

I don't think you meant it. If I

you,"

n; "you're only a burgl

I mightn't hav

till after you'd climbed up? Nor I did. But one of the men

hind her. "I'm touchi

a moment she looked at me with no laughter in her eyes. Then she slipped off the table and moved across the room to an o

she said suddenly, her

nk so," I said, and step

. I glanced over the balustrade at the car. Her headlights

," I said, coming b

lvia, pointing

up. A piece of flexible cord about five inches long. I swung round an

u done this?

and reached for a cigarette. As she light

, surely you

t yo

joke of mine,

ount or a baron would have

embling all over. From being pr

ly. "But if they had, they w

you

about a finger, loosed it a

w," I said,

a th

u, a car passed in the night, the hum of its engine swelling up, only to fade again into the silence. For me, I lingered

hy

e balcony and swung m

ould have asked if

reach and loosen it. I did so, balancing myself with one hand on the balcony's door. As the strap slipped free, there was a burning pain in my fingers. With a cry I tore them away,

sed my head. Silvia was leaning over the balcony, one hand

hat you know I did not mean what I said, I will not be

ou hur

ou hear wh

her hands before

now I

eed. I was moving. Mechanically I changed into second, third, and top. We were going now, but the trees by the wayside seemed to be closing in on me. The road was really ridiculously narrow. I could see a corner coming. The pain was awful. My head began to swim, and I felt the

re at hand was my sister's fa

ill, her small, cool

id Daphne, brushing m

f on my left elbow. Still the stabbing

Martin, dear. How

" I asked. "And you-

ice. "About a quarter of a mile from here, tow

Driving away?" I s

steps and the rus

"What is it, Bill?

ell's brother's met with an accident. We found him in the r

said Daphne. "My

And one of the tires went, just as I was passing a big wh

Bill Bairling. "Balco

car so I couldn't do anything. Just as I was getting in again, I heard a noise above me and turned. My foot slipped o

hurt," cried Silvia, sin

?" I spoke steadily, loo

said

n't always mean what I say." Then the p

ind as sh

lives wit

to her e

im of his

helped, inh

brant; but now a tender note had crept into the rendering, giving the melody a rare swee

little girl's got," sa

"Fancy giving up her own bedroom, so t

step on to her own balcony, it's not her fault if some fellow underneath falls ove

efore then. I don't expect he'll remember much abou

id he say h

Of course, he'll be strapped up for s

ged," said my brother-in-law airi

iving directions about your funeral and saying you forgave peopl

et. My discharge from the Navy was marked 'Amazing'. The only stain upon my

said h

ce to the wall if y

hne. "Remember, i

a tap at th

me in?" s

ay, dear. No. He

and rest a little, and let me stay here? You must

d. "It's awfull

sn't. I'd

Miss Bairling," said Berry. "She thinks

e the room?" s

you, be

ilvia's gentle

e, dear, if you don't send

ened my off eye. I lay in a fair, grey-papered chamber, darkened, for the green shutters were drawn close

"A fool, who did everything wrong. He lost his way, his heart, his head, and, last

-English,"

," I

lly, because, although she never lost her way or her head or her b

o Scotland Yard, and there they found the way and the head

and turned my head. The first thing I saw was a ro

d. "Is the bell in