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Pricking his ears again； he puffed back a little harder； with more
curiosity； and the softness was withdrawn。 He perceived suddenly
that he had a carrot in his mouth。
Harbinger had witnessed this episode； oddly pale； leaning against the
loose…box wall。 He spoke； as it came to an end：
〃Lady Babs！〃
The tone of his voice must have been as strange as it sounded to
himself； for Barbara spun round。
〃Yes？〃
〃How long am I going on like this？〃
Neither changing colour nor dropping her eyes； she regarded him with
a faintly inquisitive interest。 It was not a cruel look； had not a
trace of mischief； or sex malice； and yet it frightened him by its
serene inscrutability。 Impossible to tell what was going on behind
it。 He took her hand； bent over it； and said in a low voice：
〃You know what I feel； don't be cruel to me！〃
She did not pull away her hand； it was as if she had not thought of
it。
〃I am not a bit cruel。〃
Looking up； he saw her smiling。
〃ThenBabs！〃
His face was close to hers； but Barbara did not shrink back。 She
just shook her head； and Harbinger flushed up。
〃Why？〃 he asked； and as though the enormous injustice of that
rejecting gesture had suddenly struck him； he dropped her hand。
〃Why？〃 he said again； sharply。
But the silence was only broken by the cheeping of sparrows outside
the round window； and the sound of the horse； Hal； munching the last
morsel of his carrot。 Harbinger was aware in his every nerve of the
sweetish； slightly acrid； husky odour of the loosebox； mingling with
the scent of Barbara's hair and clothes。 And rather miserably； he
said for the third time：
〃Why？〃
But folding her hands away behind her back。 she answered gently：
〃My dear； how should I know why？〃
She was calmly exposed to his embrace if he had only dared； but he
did not dare； and went back to the loose…box wall。 Biting his
finger； he stared at her gloomily。 She was stroking the muzzle of
her horse； and a sort of dry rage began whisking and rustling in his
heart。 She had refused himHarbinger！ He had not known； had not
suspected how much he wanted her。 How could there be anybody else
for him； while that young； calm； sweet…scented； smiling thing lived；
to make his head go round； his senses ache； and to fill his heart
with longing！ He seemed to himself at that moment the most unhappy
of all men。
〃I shall not give you up；〃 he muttered。
Barbara's answer was a smile； faintly curious； compassionate； yet
almost grateful； as if she had said：
〃Thank youwho knows？〃
And rather quickly； a yard or so apart； and talking of horses； they
returned to the house。
It was about noon； when； accompanied by Courtier； she rode forth。
The Sou…Westerly spella matter of three dayshad given way before
radiant stillness； and merely to be alive was to feel emotion。 At a
little stream running beside the moor under the wild stone man； the
riders stopped their horses； just to listen； and； inhale the day。
The far sweet chorus of life was tuned to a most delicate rhythm； not
one of those small mingled pipings of streams and the lazy air； of
beasts； men； birds； and bees； jarred out too harshly through the
garment of sound enwrapping the earth。 It was noonthe still
momentbut this hymn to the sun； after his too long absence； never
for a moment ceased to be murmured。 And the earth wore an under…robe
of scent； delicious； very finely woven of the young fern sap； heather
buds； larch…trees not yet odourless； gorse just going brown； drifted
woodsmoke； and the breath of hawthorn。 Above Earth's twin vestments
of sound and scent； the blue enwrapping scarf of air； that wistful
wide champaign； was spanned only by the wings of Freedom。
After that long drink of the day； the riders mounted almost in
silence to the very top of the moor。 There again they sat quite
still on their horses； examining the prospect。 Far away to South and
East lay the sea； plainly visible。 Two small groups of wild ponies
were slowly grazing towards each other on the hillside below。
Courtier said。 in a low voice：
〃'Thus will I sit and sing； with love in my arms； watching our two
herds mingle together； and below us the far； divine； cerulean sea。'〃
And； after another silence； looking steadily in Barbara's face； he
added：
〃Lady Barbara； I am afraid this is the last time we shall be alone
together。 While I have the chance； therefore； I must do homage。。。。
You will always be the fixed star for my worship。 But your rays are
too bright； I shall worship from afar。 From your seventh Heaven；
therefore； look down on me with kindly eyes； and do not quite forget
me：〃
Under that speech； so strangely compounded of irony and fervour；
Barbara sat very still； with glowing cheeks。
〃Yes；〃 said Courtier； 〃only an immortal must embrace a goddess。
Outside the purlieus of Authority I shall sit cross…legged； and
prostrate myself three times a day。〃
But Barbara answered nothing。
〃In the early morning；〃 went on Courtier； 〃leaving the dark and
dismal homes of Freedom I shall look towards the Temples of the
Great； there with the eye of faith I shall see you。〃
He stopped； for Barbara's lips were moving。
〃Don't hurt me； please。〃
Courtier leaned over； took her hand； and put it to his lips。 〃We
will now ride on。。。。〃
That night at dinner Lord Dennis； seated opposite his great…niece；
was struck by her appearance。
〃A very beautiful child；〃 he thought； 〃a most lovely young creature！〃
She was placed between Courtier and Harbinger。 And the old man's
still keen eyes carefully watched those two。 Though attentive to
their neighbours on the other side； they were both of them keeping
the corner of an eye on Barbara and on each other。 The thing was
transparent to Lord Dennis； and a smile settled in that nest of
gravity between his white peaked beard and moustaches。 But he
waited； the instinct of a fisherman bidding him to neglect no piece
of water； till he saw the child silent and in repose； and watched
carefully to see what would rise。 Although she was so calmly； so
healthily eating； her eyes stole round at Courtier。 This quick look
seemed to Lord Dennis perturbed； as if something were exciting her。
Then Harbinger spoke； and she turned to answer him。 Her face was
calm now； faintly smiling； a little eager； provocative in its joy of
life。 It made Lord Dennis think of his own youth。 What a splendid
couple！ If Babs married young Harbinger there would not be a finer
pair in all England。 His eyes travelled back to Courtier。 Manly
enough！ They called him dangerous！ There was a look of
effervescence； carefully corked downmight perhaps be attractive to
a girl！ To his essentially practical and sober mind； a type like
Courtier was puzzling。 He liked the look of him； but distrusted his
ironic expression； and that appearance of blood to the head。 Fellow
no doubtthat would ride off on his ideas； humanitarian！ To Lord
Dennis there was something queer about humanitarians。 They offended
perhaps his dry and precise sense of form。 They were always looking
out for cruelty or injustice； seemed delighted when they found it
swelled up； as it were； when they sce