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She had been listening to the fox singing sotenderly, so tenderly, as he
wandered round the house. He washed himself and went outside, whilst the
womenwere preparing breakfast.
The boy smiled to himself andbrought the gun to
his shoulder. She stood silent, her head slightly on one side. Ifeel quite sick
with the smell of his clothes. Well then, he said, I should love it, if youd
let me pay myboard and help with the work. She had regainedher composure and
her soft, even, creamy complexion. He creptvery, very gently up the one step,
and along by the wall, till hestood outside their door. He would, no doubt, be
comingsniffing round.
Oh, I dont mind, said Banford: although she DID. Where am
I going to find a place in the village to stay?
His face beamed, and he almost
rubbed his hands with pleasure. The word seemed to rock in her as if she were
dying.
It happens like a supreme wish, a supreme act ofvolition, not as a dodge
of cleverness. One ought NEVER to try todo a kind action. Then he immersed
himself again in theintense and isolated business of reading. But she only
looked at him with a wide, dark, vacant eye. He loved to be outalone with the
gun in his hands, to watch, to see. And his wonderful black-glinted brush was
full and frictional,wonderful.
Banfords eyes were red, she had evidently been
crying.
Both women looked at him: March rathersurprised-looking, as if she had
hardly known he was there.
The old oak planks werecold under his feet, and they
creaked preposterously.
Shepushed back her hair vaguely and washed her hands.
Then the youth began to read again, and Banford perforce returnedto her
book.
Whatever have you been doing all this time? And then her odd, shrewd
speechmade him laugh outright. She turned her face aside, her mouth suffering
as if wounded, andher consciousness dim.
Big stars were snapping outside,beyond
the ridge-tops of the pine trees. He sat up in bed and strained his ears tohear
what they said. Why, came Marchs vague voice, what do you want to waste
yourmoney for?
Then the youth began to read again, and Banford perforce
returnedto her book.
In the distance he heard a fox yelping: and the dogs from
the farmsbarking in answer. A penny for them, said Banford sarcastically.
The
lad walked downhill to where the farmsteadwith its few pine trees crouched
blackly.
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