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UponwhichMrs。Flushingcriedoutwithdelight:
“She’smyfirstcousin！Goon——goon！“
WhenMrs。Flushingrosetogoshewasobviouslydelightedwithhernewacquaintances。Shemadethreeorfourdifferentplansformeetingorgoingonanexpedition，orshowingHelenthethingstheyhadbought，onherwaytothecarriage。Sheincludedthemallinavaguebutmagnificentinvitation。
AsHelenreturnedtothegardenagain，Ridley’swordsofwarningcameintoherhead，andshehesitatedamomentandlookedatRachelsittingbetweenHirstandHewet。Butshecoulddrawnoconclusions，forHewetwasstillreadingGibbonaloud，andRachel，foralltheexpressionshehad，mighthavebeenashell，andhiswordswaterrubbingagainstherears，aswaterrubsashellontheedgeofarock。
Hewet’svoicewasverypleasant。WhenhereachedtheendoftheperiodHewetstopped，andnoonevolunteeredanycriticism。
“Idoadorethearistocracy！“Hirstexclaimedafteramoment’spause。
“They’resoamazinglyunscrupulous。Noneofuswoulddaretobehaveasthatwomanbehaves。“
“WhatIlikeaboutthem，“saidHelenasshesatdown，“isthatthey’resowellputtogether。Naked，Mrs。Flushingwouldbesuperb。
Dressedasshedresses，it’sabsurd，ofcourse。“
“Yes，“saidHirst。Ashadeofdepressioncrossedhisface。
“I’veneverweighedmorethantenstoneinmylife，“hesaid，“whichisridiculous，consideringmyheight，andI’veactuallygonedowninweightsincewecamehere。Idaresaythataccountsfortherheumatism。“Againhejerkedhiswristbacksharply，sothatHelenmighthearthegrindingofthechalkstones。
Shecouldnothelpsmiling。
“It’snolaughingmatterforme，Iassureyou，“heprotested。
“Mymother’sachronicinvalid，andI’malwaysexpectingtobetoldthatI’vegotheartdiseasemyself。Rheumatismalwaysgoestotheheartintheend。“
“Forgoodness’sake，Hirst，“Hewetprotested；“onemightthinkyouwereanoldcrippleofeighty。Ifitcomestothat，Ihadanauntwhodiedofcancermyself，butIputaboldfaceonit——“
Heroseandbegantiltinghischairbackwardsandforwardsonitshindlegs。“Isanyonehereinclinedforawalk？“
hesaid。“There’samagnificentwalk，upbehindthehouse。
Youcomeoutontoacliffandlookrightdownintothesea。
Therocksareallred；youcanseethemthroughthewater。
TheotherdayIsawasightthatfairlytookmybreathaway——
abouttwentyjelly-fish，semi-transparent，pink，withlongstreamers，floatingonthetopofthewaves。“
“Suretheyweren’tmermaids？“saidHirst。“It’smuchtoohottoclimbuphill。“HelookedatHelen，whoshowednosignsofmoving。
“Yes，it’stoohot，“Helendecided。
Therewasashortsilence。
“I’dliketocome，“saidRachel。
“Butshemighthavesaidthatanyhow，“HelenthoughttoherselfasHewetandRachelwentawaytogether，andHelenwasleftalonewithSt。John，toSt。John’sobvioussatisfaction。
Hemayhavebeensatisfied，buthisusualdifficultyindecidingthatonesubjectwasmoredeservingofnoticethananotherpreventedhimfromspeakingforsometime。Hesatstaringintentlyattheheadofadeadmatch，whileHelenconsidered——soitseemedfromtheexpressionofhereyes——somethingnotcloselyconnectedwiththepresentmoment。
AtlastSt。Johnexclaimed，“Damn！Damneverything！Damneverybody！“
headded。“AtCambridgetherearepeopletotalkto。“
“AtCambridgetherearepeopletotalkto，“Helenechoedhim，rhythmicallyandabsent-mindedly。Thenshewokeup。“Bytheway，haveyousettledwhatyou’regoingtodo——isittobeCambridgeortheBar？“
Hepursedhislips，butmadenoimmediateanswer，forHelenwasstillslightlyinattentive。ShehadbeenthinkingaboutRachelandwhichofthetwoyoungmenshewaslikelytofallinlovewith，andnowsittingoppositetoHirstshethought，“He’sugly。
It’sapitythey’resougly。“
ShedidnotincludeHewetinthiscriticism；shewasthinkingoftheclever，honest，interestingyoungmensheknew，ofwhomHirstwasagoodexample，andwonderingwhetheritwasnecessarythatthoughtandscholarshipshouldthusmaltreattheirbodies，andshouldthuselevatetheirmindstoaveryhightowerfromwhichthehumanraceappearedtothemlikeratsandmicesquirmingonthef
