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and looked up at him。
〃Alan；〃 she said； 〃I think that you are the biggest fool I ever knew
not but that a fool is rather refreshing when one lives among knaves。〃
〃I know I am a fool；〃 he answered。 〃If I wasn't I should not have
mentioned my misfortune to you； but sometimes things are too much for
one。 Forget it and forgive me。〃
〃Oh！ yes；〃 she said； 〃I forgive you； a woman can generally forgive a
man for being fond of her。 Whatever she may be； she is ready to take a
lenient view of his human weakness。 But as to forgetting； that is a
different matter。 I don't exactly see why I should be so anxious to
forget； who haven't many people to care about me；〃 and she looked at
him in quite a new fashion； one indeed which gave him something of a
shock； for he had not thought the nymph…like Barbara capable of such a
look as that。 She and any sort of passion had always seemed so far
apart。
Now after all Alan was very much a man； if a modest one； with all a
man's instincts； and therefore there are appearances of the female
face which even such as he could not entirely misinterpret。
〃Youdon'tmean；〃 he said doubtfully； 〃you don't really mean〃
and he stood hesitating before her。
〃If you would put your question a little more clearly； Alan； I might
be able to give you an answer；〃 she replied； that quaint little smile
of hers creeping to the corners of her mouth like sunshine through a
mist of rain。
〃You don't really mean；〃 he went on； 〃that you care anything about me；
like； like I have cared for you for years？〃
〃Oh！ Alan；〃 she said； laughing outright； 〃why in the name of goodness
shouldn't I care about you？ I didn't say that I do； mind； but why
shouldn't I？ What is the gulf between us？〃
〃The old one；〃 he answered； 〃that between Dives and Lazarusthat
between the rich and the poor。〃
〃Alan；〃 said Barbara； looking down； 〃I don't know what has come over
me； but for some unexplained and inexplicable reason I am inclined to
give Lazarus a leadacross that gulf； the first one； I mean； not the
second！〃
Like the glance which preceded it； this was a saying that even Alan
could not misunderstand。 He sat himself on the log beside her； while
she； still looking down； watched him out of the corners of her eyes。
He went red； he went white； his heart beat very violently。 Then he
stretched out his big brown hand and took her small white one； and as
this familiarity produced no remonstrance； let it fall； and passing
his arm about her； drew her to him and embraced her； not once； but
often； with such vigour that a squirrel which had been watching these
proceedings from a neighbouring tree； bolted round it scandalized and
was seen no more。
〃I love you； I love you；〃 he said huskily。
〃So I gather；〃 she answered in a feeble voice。
〃Do you care for me？〃 he asked。
〃It would seem that I must； Alan； otherwise I should scarcelyoh！ you
foolish Alan；〃 and heedless of her Sunday hat； which never recovered
from this encounter； but was kept as a holy relic； she let her head
fall upon his shoulder and began to cry again； this time for very
happiness。
He kissed her tears away； then as he could think of nothing else to
say； asked her if she would marry him。
〃It is the general sequel to this kind of thing； I believe；〃 she
answered； 〃or at any rate it ought to be。 But if you want a direct
answeryes； I will； if my uncle will let me； which he won't； as you
have quarrelled with him； or at any rate two years hence； when I am
five and twenty and my own mistress； that is if we have anything to
marry on； for one must eat。 At present our worldly possessions seem to
consist chiefly of a large store of mutual affection； a good stock of
clothes and one Yellow God； which after what happened last night； I do
not think you will get another chance of turning into cash。〃
〃I must make money somehow；〃 he said。
〃Yes； Alan； but I am afraid it is not easy to dohonestly。 Nobody
wants people without capital whose only stock in trade is a brief but
distinguished military career； and a large experience of African
fever。〃
Alan groaned at this veracious but discouraging remark； and she went
on quickly：
〃I mean to spend another guinea upon my friend the lawyer at
Kingswell。 Perhaps he can raise the wind； by a post…obit； or
something；〃 she added vaguely； 〃I mean a post…uncle…obit。〃
〃If he does； Barbara； I can't live on your money alone； it isn't
right。〃
〃Oh！ don't you trouble about that； Alan。 If once I can get hold of
those dim thousands you will soon be able to make more； for unto him
that hath shall be given。 But at present they are very dim； and for
all I know may be represented by stock in deceased companies。 In
short； the financial position is extraordinarily depressed； as they
say in the Market Intelligence in /The Times/。 But that's no reason
why we should be depressed also。〃
〃No； Barbara； for at any rate we have got each other。〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered； springing up； 〃we have got each other； dear；
until Death do us part； and somehow I don't think he'll do that yet
awhile； it comes into my heart that he won't do that； Alan； that you
and I are going to live out our days。 So what does the rest matter？ In
two years I shall be a free woman。 In fact； if the worst comes to the
worst； I'll defy them all；〃 and she set her little mouth like a rock；
〃and marry you straight away； as being over age； I can do； even if it
costs me every halfpenny that I've got。〃
〃No； no；〃 he said； 〃it would be wrong； wrong to yourself and wrong to
your descendants。〃
〃Very well； Alan； then； we will wait； or perhaps luck will come our
waywhy shouldn't it？ At any rate for my part I never felt so happy
in my life； for； dear Alan； we have found what we were born to find；
found it once and for always； and the rest is mere etceteras。 What
would be the use of all the gold of the Asiki people that Jeekie was
talking about last night； to either of us； if we had not each other？
We can get on without the wealth； but we couldn't get on apart； or at
least I couldn't and I don't mind saying so。〃
〃No； my darling； no；〃 he answered； turning white at the very thought；
〃we couldn't get on apartnow。 In fact I don't know how I have done
so so long already； except that I was always hoping that a time would
come when we shouldn't be apart。 That is why I went into that infernal
business； to make enough money to be able to ask you to marry me。 And
now I have gone out of the business and asked you just when I
shouldn't。〃
〃Yes； so you see you might as well have done it a year or two ago when
perhaps things would have been simpler。 Well； it is a fine example of
the vanity of human plans； and； Alan； we must be going home to lunch。
If we don't； Sir Robert will be organizing a search party to look for
us； in fact； I shouldn't wonder if he is doing that already； in the
wrong direction。〃
The mention of Sir Robert Aylward's name fell on them both like a
blast of cold wind in summer； and for a while they walked in silence。
〃You are afraid of that man； Barbara；〃 said Alan presently； guessing
her thoughts。
〃A little；〃 she answered； 〃so far as I can be afraid of anything any
more。 And you？〃
〃A little