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pane in the west through thinning clouds。 His eyes were
set on something infinitely far and remote； by that light
he felt he could walk； and would； in future； have to find
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his way。 But that was all there was left to him of a populous
and teeming world。
CHAPTER XIII
The lunch hour in the office was only partly spent by
Denham in the consumption of food。 Whether fine or wet；
he passed most of it pacing the gravel paths in Lincoln’s
Inn Fields。 The children got to know his figure； and the
sparrows expected their daily scattering of breadcrumbs。
No doubt； since he often gave a copper and almost always
a handful of bread； he was not as blind to his surroundings
as he thought himself。
He thought that these winter days were spent in long
hours before white papers radiant in electric light； and in
short passages through fogdimmed streets。 When he came
back to his work after lunch he carried in his head a
picture of the Strand； scattered with omnibuses； and of
the purple shapes of leaves pressed flat upon the gravel；
as if his eyes had always been bent upon the ground。 His
brain worked incessantly； but his thought was attended
with so little joy that he did not willingly recall it； but
drove ahead； now in this direction； now in that； and came
home laden with dark books borrowed from a library。
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Night and Day
Mary Datchet； ing from the Strand at lunchtime；
saw him one day taking his turn； closely buttoned in an
overcoat； and so lost in thought that he might have been
sitting in his own room。
She was overe by something very like awe by the
sight of him； then she felt much inclined to laugh； although
her pulse beat faster。 She passed him； and he
never saw her。 She came back and touched him on the
shoulder。
“Gracious； Mary！” he exclaimed。 “How you startled me！”
“Yes。 You looked as if you were walking in your sleep；”
she said。 “Are you arranging some terrible love affair？
Have you got to reconcile a desperate couple？”
“I wasn’t thinking about my work；” Ralph replied； rather
hastily。 “And； besides； that sort of thing’s not in my line；”
he added； rather grimly。
The morning was fine； and they had still some minutes
of leisure to spend。 They had not met for two or three
weeks； and Mary had much to say to Ralph； but she was
not certain how far he wished for her pany。 However；
after a turn or two； in which a few facts were muni
cated； he suggested sitting down； and she took the seat
beside him。 The sparrows came fluttering about them； and
Ralph produced from his pocket the half of a roll saved
from his luncheon。 He threw a few crumbs among them。
“I’ve never seen sparrows so tame；” Mary observed； by
way of saying something。
“No；” said Ralph。 “The sparrows in Hyde Park aren’t as
tame as this。 If we keep perfectly still； I’ll get one to
settle on my arm。”
Mary felt that she could have forgone this display of
animal good temper； but seeing that Ralph； for some curious
reason； took a pride in the sparrows； she bet him
sixpence that he would not succeed。
“Done！” he said； and his eye； which had been gloomy；
showed a spark of light。 His conversation was now addressed
entirely to a bald cocksparrow； who seemed bolder
than the rest； and Mary took the opportunity of looking
at him。 She was not satisfied； his face was worn； and his
expression stern。 A child came bowling its hoop through
the concourse of birds； and Ralph threw his last crumbs
of bread into the bushes with a snort of impatience。
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“That’s what always happens—just as I’ve almost got
him；” he said。 “Here’s your sixpence； Mary。 But you’ve
only got it thanks to that brute of a boy。 They oughtn’t
to be allowed to bowl hoops here—”
“Oughtn’t to be allowed to bowl hoops！ My dear Ralph；
what nonsense！”
“You always say that；” he plained； “and it isn’t nonsense。
What’s the point of having a garden if one can’t
watch birds in it？ The street does all right for hoops。 And
if children can’t be trusted in the streets； their mothers
should keep them at home。”
Mary made no answer to this remark； but frowned。
She leant back on the seat and looked about her at the
great houses breaking the soft grayblue sky with their
chimneys。
“Ah； well；” she said； “London’s a fine place to live in。 I
believe I could sit and watch people all day long。 I like
my fellowcreatures… 。”
Ralph sighed impatiently。
“Yes； I think so； when you e to know them；” she
added； as if his disagreement had been spoken。
“That’s just when I don’t like them；” he replied。 “Still； I
don’t see why you shouldn’t cherish that illusion； if it
pleases you。” He spoke without much vehemence of agreement
or disagreement。 He seemed chilled。
“Wake up； Ralph！ You’re half asleep！” Mary cried； turning
and pinching his sleeve。 “What have you been doing
with yourself？ Moping？ Working？ Despising the world； as
usual？”
As he merely shook his head； and filled his pipe； she
went on：
“It’s a bit of a pose； isn’t it？”
“Not more than most things；” he said。
“Well；” Mary remarked； “I’ve a great deal to say to you；
but I must go on—we have a mittee。” She rose； but
hesitated； looking down upon him rather gravely。 “You
don’t look happy； Ralph；” she said。 “Is it anything； or is
it nothing？”
He did not immediately answer her； but rose； too； and
walked with her towards the gate。 As usual； he did not
speak to her without considering whether what he was
about to say was the sort of thing that he could say to her。
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Night and Day
“I’ve been bothered；” he said at length。 “Partly by work；
and partly by family troubles。 Charles has been behaving
like a fool。 He wants to go out to Canada as a farmer—”
“Well； there’s something to be said for that；” said Mary；
and they passed the gate； and walked slowly round the
Fields again； discussing difficulties which； as a matter of
fact； were more or less chronic in the Denham family； and
only now brought forward to appease Mary’s sympathy；
which； however； soothed Ralph more than he was aware
of。 She made him at least dwell upon problems which
were real in the sense that they were capable of solution；
and the true cause of his melancholy； which was not susceptible
to such treatment； sank rather more deeply into
the shades of his mind。
Mary was attentive； she was helpful。 Ralph could not
help feeling grateful to her； the more so； perhaps； because
he had not told her the truth about his state； and
when they reached the gate again he wished to make
some affectionate objection to her leaving him。 But his
affection took the rather uncouth form of expostulating
with her about her work。
“What d’you want to sit on a mittee for？” he asked。
“It’s waste of your time； Mary。”
“I agree with you that a country walk would benefit the
world more；” she said。 “Look here；” she added suddenly；
“why don’t you e to us at Christmas？ It’s almost the
best time of year。”
“e to you at Disham？” Ralph repeated。
“Yes。 We won’t interfere with you。 But you can tell me
later；” she said； rather hastily； and then started off in the
direction of Russell Square。 She had invited him on the
impulse of the moment； as a vision of the country came
before her； and now she was annoyed with herself for
having done so； and then she was annoyed at being annoyed。
“If I can’t face a walk in a field alone with Ralph；” she
reasoned； “I’d better buy a cat and live in a lodging at
Ealing； like Sally Seal —and he won’t e。 Or did he
mean that he would e？”
She shook her head。 She really did not know what he
had meant。 She never felt quite certain； but now she was
more than usually baffled。 Was he concealing something
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from her？ His manner had been odd； his deep absorption
had impressed her； there was something in him that she
had not fathomed； and the mystery of his nature laid
more of a s