himself, in their dual motion of walking. So, suddenly, he was liberated and perfect, strong, heroic.

He put his hand to his mouth and threw his cigarette away, a gleaming point, into the unseen hedge. Then he was quite free to balance her.

‘That’s better,’ he said, with exultancy.

The exultation in his voice was like a sweetish, poisonous drug to her. Did she then mean so much to him! She sipped the poison.

‘Are you happier?’ she asked, wistfully.

‘Much better,’ he said, in the same exultant voice, ‘and I was rather far gone.’

She nestled against him. He felt her all soft and warm, she was the