"If I'm in the way..." Hughes put in, but did not attempt to get himself
out of it.

Jervaise ignored him. "Look here, Melhuish," he said. "I wonder if you'd
mind coming up with me to the Home Farm?"

"Oh! no; rather not," I agreed gladly.

I felt that Hughes had been scored off; but I instantly forgot such small
triumphs in the delight of being able to get out into the night. Out there
was romance and the smell of night-stock, all kinds of wonderment and
adventure. I was so eager to be in the midst of it that I never paused to
consider the queerness of the expedition.

As we left the Hall, the theatrical stable-clock was just striking one.




II

ANNE


The moon must have been nearly at the full, but I could not guess its
position behind the even murk of cloud that muffled the whole face of the
sky. Yet, it was not very dark. The broad masses of the garden through
which Jervaise led me, were visible as a greater blackness superimposed on
a fainter background. I believed that we were passing through some kind of
formal pleasance. I could smell the pseudo-aromatic, slightly dirty odour