Anne Severn and the Fieldings

Ilford farm at once. Adeli

t help feeling rather glad that Jerrold had gone to India without Anne, she was sorry for her. She loved her and she meant to keep her. She said she simply could not bear it if Anne left her, and was it t

that I want now, Anne. Y

They were all wrapped up in their own tiresome affairs, and

wn daughter. Darling Robert felt about

lad enough to stop with her through all the happy times. I'd be a perfect

mmense, intolerable wound. And here at Wyck, she couldn't move without coming upon something that touched it and stung it to fresh pain. But Anne was not like Jerrold, to turn fro

ering from depression. Colin had never got over his father's death and Jerrold's going; and the last thing Jerrold ha

g piteous and breakable about him, something that clung to you for help. Eliot said that i

do to him, but he's bet

overed first. He met the shock of his fath

ars, Eliot spent the best part of the day handling the germs of the deadliest diseases; making cultures, examining them under the microscope; preparing vaccines. He went home to the

n apathy from the social scene. He seemed to have no keen interests beyond his slides and mixing jars and test-tubes. Women, for whom his indifference ha

fury; he had no tolerance for the society that tolerated it. He suffered because he had a clearer vision and a profounder sense of suffering than most perso

sity as to causes, and you have

y for people, and that being sorry for them had made him what he was, like Jerrold and yet unlike him. Eliot w

ally loved her. He wanted Anne as he had never conceived himself wanting any woman. He could hardly remember his first adolescent feeling for her, that confused mixture of ignorant desire and fear, so different was it from the intense, clear passion that possessed him now. At night when his work was done, he lay in bed, not sleeping, thinking of

her kne

t would marr

" sai

o keen on going off to look fo

Anne Severn, her splendid physical fitness; she could go stride for stride with him, and mile for mile, and never tire. Her mind, too, was robust and active, and full of curiosity; it listened by the hour and never tired. It could move,

ject, the grave, sullen

re a rap or they couldn't sleep in their beds. They ought to get up and make a public row about it, to insist on compulsory inoculation for everybody whether they like it or not. It really isn't enough to cure people of diseases when they've got them. We ought to see that they never get them, that there aren't any to g

ful. How can you

. It's only a nigh

e told him all about her Ilford farm and what she meant to do on it. Eliot didn't behave like Aunt Adeline, he listened

g those gables with the little stone balls, and the peacocks, and the fields down to the Manor Farm. And the hills, Eliot. When I'm away I'm always dreaming

ia?" Eliot's heart began to

so dead tired that I roll off to sleep the min

ou're too young to f

e it yourself-My farm is to me w

hought it w

lse did you

f to tell her. He took refu

ft me the Manor Far

e he thought you'd want

her's got the Dower House in Wyc

omes back," sai

rry'll turn her out

e had the courage to s

Jerrold's marrying. Not Eliot, because he had Jerrold's word

*

y him, but he kept putting it off because, so long as he didn't know for certain that she wouldn't have him, he was at liberty to think she would. He would not be taking her from Jerrold. Jerrold, inconceivable ass, didn't want her. Eliot had made sure of that months ago, the night before Jerrold sailed. H

in, if she was ever going to forget him; though in moments of deeper insight he realize

ry day. He was content to take Anne on her own terms, at any cost, at any risk. He had never been a

going out to Central Africa with Sir Martin Crozier to investigate sleepi

he meanwhile Sir Martin Crozier had seen him. He was

her under the beeches at the top of the field where she and

on if I wasn't going away, b

know

. Not much, of course, but just

im with her innocent, candid eyes. And all she s

. I know all

why I

about Jerrold. He isn'

nough f

" But he cou

at's why you're asking me, then

't be much good

bout it, as if he'd said he did. H

id he won

ould. He never did anything to mak

uite sure

care what you think of me so long as you don't think it was Jerry's

would. But i

o matter which? It isn't possible for me. If I c

all about you. I know how you think and how you feel. I understand y

her be unhappy and in

rol

ppy and in dang

, I shan't be. I shall

g that you'll soon

I'll never give you up,

use I thought you ought to know. So that y

me-if it hadn't been for Jerry, do y

think it would be a jolly good thing i

little

o think I'd have cared

rr

s, very

out him. Do you mind telling me whether he sai

ha

t he woul

because I had to k

ht he to

believe he did, or that he would have cared-awfully-if my father hadn't died j

Yearp. Don't you remember how he wouldn't let me go with him to see Yearp because

in he'd have cared-if t

ut of your dear little

believe he wanted it.

he had hurt her, he who had never hu

e's no good talking abou

't want me to go t

why you d

es

ake, Anne. You s

at? And if I had, he'd

up suddenly, in wonderful clothes, looking cheerful and beautiful. So that you w

ould have done. But it's to

ot so

nt him down? Dress up and s

Yes.

ou know I

commit a crime for an

But not that. I

what they want in this world. They know what they want and go for

t I want, and I'd go for it

now if you

just what

you the best possible advice,

ou. But you see ho

able you are. Y

e in her life Ade

arry Anne Severn, and was told that he had asked her to

you? What's s

" said Eliot, never dr

ne's room just as Anne was getting into bed. Unappeased

bout Eliot asking

elf and sat up on

e tell

old me. He says you

fraid

u're a perfect

e, I don't

as much as most people

He doesn't want you

re than I ca

e him what he wants you'd no business to

im all my life and I never dr

ou suppose

just to go about.

idi

you should be s

r at the head of the bed, prepa

efuse him he'll stick for years in that awful place he's going to? Whereas if he had a wife in

can't marry Eliot even

o plea

n. You don't care if he dies of

ut I can't marry h

of Jerrold, you needn't. I thought you'

m not 'thinking' of anybody an

s absolutely the right person for you, if you'd only the sense to see it. He's got more character

rrold was you

. Always Eliot. He

d. I simply hate him to be unhappy. But he won't be. He'll live to be fr

ed away with the great dig

ho go on like that-making a man mad about you by pretending to be his comrade, and then throwing him

ut Father? And you w

ine, softened by the reco

Anne, observing the breakdown of dign

he said, "that Fathe

my dear, it was their own ris

two years, investigating malaria and sleeping sickness. Then he went on to th

ned in August because of Colin. Th

e spring of the third year, nin