The Wooden Horse

all of it old, it had been added to from time to time by successive Trojans; but there had,

ea, had had no welcome for him, and when he had claimed his succession they had refused him. He was beginning to give the stocks and stones of the House a personal existence. Sometimes at night, when the moon gave the place grey shadows and white lights, or in the early morning when the first birds were crying in the trees and

ireplace, its soft, heavy carpets, its wonderfully comfortable armchairs. It seemed to him the very perfection of that spirit of orderly comfort and luxurious simplicity for which he had so

nd he knew that things were approaching a crisis. Clare had scarcely spoken to him for three days. Garrett and Robin had not said a word beyond a casual good-morning. They were ignoring him, cont

orted family traditions worthily, but he felt that, in the eyes of the world, he scarcely counted at all. It was a cold and over-decorated church, with an air of wealth and lack of all warm emotions that was exactly characteristic of its congregation. Harry thought that he had never seen a gathering of more unresponsive people. An excellent choir sang Stainer in B flat with perf

an enormous hat, was the only person who took any interest in Harry, and she was looking over his head during

ome stranger who had thrust himself into the Trojan pew at the last moment, and Garrett was repeating complacently a story that he had heard at the Club tending to prove the unsanitary condition of the lower classes in general and the inhabitants of the Cove in particular. After lunch they had left him alon

towers of the House, watched the sea and the stars to some purpose. He had been admitted, Harry imagined, into the sacred precincts after his researches had made him a person of national importance, and it was amusing to picture Sir Henry's pride transformed into a rather obsequious familiarity when "My cousin, Humphrey,

and again there floated before him that wonderful dream of liberty and the road-of a relationship with the world at large, and no constraint of family dignity and absurd grades of respectability. Off with the harness; he had worn it for a fortnight a

least be assured of the respect and deference that the present world had shown him. His mind dwelt continually on his early days, and, even when there was no one present to listen, he repeated anecdotes and reminiscences for the benefit of the world at large. His face seemed to have dwindled considerably, but his eyes were always alive-twinkling over the bedclothes like lights in a dark room. His mouth never move

aren't they? Devilish good thing-no one to worry us. Just give the pillows a punch a

ss tread, and the scent of flowers mingled with the intangible odour of medicine. A great fire

up the blind to let in the sun, propped u

, father," he said; "y

or a month or two, and then I'm off. I've had my day, and a damned go

at was-and Tom Buckley and I were in the running. He had the money and I had the looks, although you wouldn't think it now. She liked me until she got tired of me and she died o' drink-not many like that nowadays." He gazed at

or two-perhaps sooner; and then, what would happen? He would take his place as head of the family. He l

note: roofs?] of the Cove crowded down to the edge of the land, seeming to lean a little forward, as though listening to what the sea had to say; the sun, breaking mistily through the clouds, was a round ball of dull gold-a line of breakwater, far in the

as better for you. You don't see it yet; you came back thinking they'd welcome you and be glad to see you, and you're a bit hurt that they haven't. They've been hard to you, all of 'em-your boy as well. I've known, right enough. But it cuts both ways, you see. They can't see your point of view, and they're afraid of the open air you're letti

it. I've tried everything, and it's all failed. I'd bett

remy c

nd of course he wouldn't. They're trying you and waiting to see what you'll do, and Robin's

ne chap," he said, "and I'm proud of you-only you're a bit of a fool-sentimental, you know. But you'll make more o

stole out of the room. He told the nurs

ast week-that and the Cove were his only courts of welcome. He knew that his going there had only aggravated h

s and needlework and strange fragments of feminine garments. Mrs. Bethel was gorgeous in a green silk dress and the pain

father," she said. "He's downstairs in the study,

me rushing up. Sunday made no difference to his clothes, and h

ndid! I was afraid they'd carry you off to that church of yours or

, "all of us solemnly in the family coach

ethel, "and we drove to church every Sunday. We were the only

ing," said Mary. "It puts you i

. "I'm as hungry as though I'

meal for a month at least, and he had utterly demolished th

ry, why didn't you tell me? I'll never forgive m

church to-night, all of us, and if you're

"I shall be delighted," he

g over the sea. It's the most tumble-down old place you ever saw, and nobody goes there except a few fishermen, but

r the Pendragon point of view. It's a place of ruins, Trojan, and the

she was in distress; Mary, too, seemed to speak at ra

ng sense of Cornwall that came to him sometimes so suddenly, so strangely, that it was almost mysterious, for it seemed to have no immediate cause, no absolute relation to surrounding sights or sounds. Perhaps to-night it was in the misty half-light

a little ahead with Mary, and he turned to her as she spoke. She was walki

e answered, t

t blind. I've bored you with my worr

olish to mind, and, indeed, it's not f

ave the

friends I mean, lots of them, and then when we came here we had none. We have never had any from the beginning. We tried, perhaps a little too hard, to have some. We gave little parties and they

ub

of thing. You saw that

it hu

and she comes back like she did to-day. I don't suppose they mean to be unkind-it is only that we are, you see, peculiar, an

e," he said

e have stayed in London? We had friends there, and father's clothes didn't matter. Here such little thi

all have things that we don't like

ount me." He stopped for a moment

g," she said. "You are enterin

t I, also, am an outcast. We ca

nough to accept it. If I was really worth anything, I

mp"; but in his heart he knew that their stronghold, with "The

ment, at a steep turn of the hill, she laid her hand on his arm; at the touch his heart beat furiously-in that moment he k

the sea, and the breath of grass and flowers. The congregation was scanty; some fishermen and their wives, two or three old women, and a baby that made no sound but listened wonderingly with its finger in its mouth. The clergyman was a tall man with a long white beard and he did everything, even playing the little wheezy harmonium. His sermon was short and simple, but was listened to with r

a moment on coming out. "You'll be lonely

ur walked b

our ancient Brito

said Harry. "Thank

at the turning of the road Bethel laughed. "Now

e whispered, "This has be

swered. "You have worries enough of you

be release

room. He was working at his book, and, as usual, hinted that to ta

ning wouldn't do instead

ant you to listen to

the most comfortable chair an

ver him as though she would

, Garrett. It'

ha

one must sp

but if it's my permission that you want you may have it and welcome.

-it has become common talk-the things he does, I mean. She did not want to say anything, but I made her. He goes down continually to some low public

said, "that he cannot ch

though of course that counts. But it is the House-our name. T

ore. But she found it no laughing matter. Miss Ponsonby would not have spok

ealed from herself that she was, in reality, fighting her own. She was in a state of miserable uncertainty. She

be shifted in his direction; he feared responsibility as the rock on wh

Pendragon, but to us. He has made no attempt whatever to fit in with our ways or thoughts; he has sh

o offer, and was barren of all definite efforts; he hated defini

fast," she said, "and will

ent back to his work. On the

ut the heavy solemnity of the massive silver teapot, the ham and cold game on the sideboard, the racks of toast that were so needles

g unusual in her appearance. The meal was quite silent; Clare had he

y something. No, Robin, don't go-wh

ad received previous warning. Robin looked up in surprise, an

glad that the moment had come; the last week had been almost unbearable, and the situation was bound to arrive at a crisis-well, here it was, but he wished that Robin were not there

that he hated her; he was immediately calm and awaited her attack almo

to Harry, her glance resting on Robin. She tapped the table

ly to our wishes. Both Garrett"-this with emphasis-"and myself are sure that your failing to do so is only due to a misconception o

d that I had failed in defer

th another glance at Robin-"that it is naturally impossible for you to realise exactly what are th

h as

e town upon us. We occupy a position of some importance, and we are d

point, Clare? It is a

s no other word-discourteous to the Miss Ponsonbys. You have made your friends almost entirely amongst the fisher class, a strange thing, surely, for a Trojan to do, and you now, I believe, spend your evenings frequently in a low public-house resorted to by such persons-at any ra

n Pendragon have changed very largely, almost entirely. There is scarcely any one whom I knew twenty years ago; i

ol, he would lose, too, his position. But, as he watched them, and saw their cold, unmoved attitude his anger rose

elfish. That you have scarcely seen our side of the question. Things have changed in the last twenty years-changed enormously. We have seen them, studi

rn about a very little matter. Surely I am not a person of such

re, I am afraid, only too ready to fasten on matters that do not concern them. Besides

ise his meetings. But the instant thought in his mind concerned the Feverels. If the Bethels were impossible socially, what about Dahlia and her mother? What wou

t, had cared nothing for their feelings. Randal had shown plainly enough how impossible he was. Indeed the shadow of Randal lurked in the room in a mann

the Bethels, Harry

them out of the discussion.

you think it was wise to neglect the whole of Pendragon for the society of the Bethels-peo

hat I first met them

ll. I showed them that quite distinctly

my friends. I cannot, therefore, hear them ins

ould see Mary, as he spoke, turning on the hill and laying her hand on his arm; her hair blew i

see the position quite as we do, I know, but I cannot say that you have made any attempt whatsoever to see it with our eyes. It seems useless to appeal to you on behalf of the House, but that, t

think you must see, Harry, that we are quite justif

d Harry. "An

re is perfectly right,

is hand gripped the marble of the mantelpiece; he d

e back a stranger. I was ready to do anything to win your regard. I was perhaps a little foolishly sentimental about it, but I am a very easy person to understand-it could not have been very difficult. I imagined, foolishly, that things would be quite easy-that there would be no complications. I

I have chosen. That is completed-in a fortnight you have shown me, quite plainly, your position. Now I will show you mine. You have refused to have anything to do with me-for the future the position shall be reversed. I shall alter in no respect whatever, either my frien

ults and disappointments of the last fortnight rose before him, but, above all, he saw

ot up from the table and walked to the door. "Very

nd trembling a little as

m," he said. "It is a piece of i

Harry suddenly saw him. He had forgot

pping towards him. "Robin-

d, and he left the room, closi

rly in a world that had suddenly grown dark and cold was his son. He had fo

Zealand to love his

him, to seize him, and hold h

would fight it out to the end; he would, as

the racks of toast were all there-how strange, when the rest of the world had changed; he was quite alo