“Letusfollowtheexampleofallgreatgolfers，“Hamelsaid。“Letusforthismorning，atanyrate，imaginethatyourwholeworldisencompassedwithintheseeighteenholes。Wehavebeensenthereinamomentofgoodhumourbyyourtyrantuncle。Thesunshines，andthewindisfromthewest。Whynot？“
“Thatisallverywellforyou，“sheretorted，smiling，“butIhavetoppedmydrive。“
“Purelyanincident，“heassuredher。“Thevicissitudesofthegamedonotenterintothequestion。Ihavedrivenaballfarabovemyusualform，butIamnotgloatingoverit。IprefertorememberonlythatIamgoingtospendthenexttwohourswithyou。“
Sheplayedhershot，andtheywalkedforalittlewaytogether。
Shewassuddenlysilent。
“Doyouknow，“shesaidfinally，justalittlegravely，“Iamnotatallusedtospeechesofthissort。“
“Thenyououghttobe，“hedeclared。“Nothingbutthelonelylifeyouhavebeenlivinghaskeptyoufromhearingthemcontinually。“
Shelaughedalittleattheimpotenceofherrebuffandpausedforamomenttomakehernextshot。Hame1，standingalittleononeside，watchedherappraisingly。Hershort，greytweedskirtwasobviouslythehandiworkofanaccomplishedtailor。Hergreystockingsandsuedeshoeswereimmaculateandshowedacareforherappearancewhichpleasedhim。Herswing，too，revealedagrace，thegraceoflongarmsandasupplebody，atwhichpreviouslyhehadonlyguessed。Thesunshineseemedtohavebroughtoutacoppertingefromherabundantbrownhair。
“Doyouknow，“heremarked，“IthinkIambeginningtolikeyouruncle。Greatideaofhis，sendingusoffheredirectlyafterbreakfast。“
Herfacedarkenedforamoment，andherealisedhiserror。Thesamethought，indeed，hadbeeninboththeirminds。Mr。Fentolin’scourteoussuggestionhadbeenofferedtothemalmostintheshapeofacommand。Itwasscarcelypossibletoescapefromthereflectionthathehaddesiredtoridhimselfoftheirpresenceforthemorning。
“Ofcourse，“hewenton，“Iknewthattheselinksweregood-quitefamous，aren’tthey？“
“Ihaveplayedonsofewothers，“shetoldhim。“IlearnedmygolfherewithKing，theprofessional。“
Hetookoffhiscapandhandedittohiscaddy。Hehimselfwasbeginningalreadytolookyounger。Thelongbluewavescameripplingupthecreeks。Thesaltwind，softwithsunshine，blewintheirfaces。Themarshesonthelandwardsideweremauvewithlavenderblossom，Inthedistance，thered-tiledcottagesnestleddeepamongabackgroundofgreentreesandrisingfields。
“Thisindeedisalandofpeace，“hedeclared。“IfIhadn’ttogiveyouquitesomanystrokes，Ishouldbereallyenjoyingmyself。“
“Youdon’tplaylikeamanwhohasbeenlivingabroadforagreatmanyyears，“sheremarked。“Tellmeaboutsomeoftheplacesyouhavevisited？“
“Don’tletustalkseriously，“hebegged。“I’lltellyouofthembutletitbelateron。ThismorningIfeelthatthespringairisgettingintomyhead。Ihaveanabsurddesiretotalknonsense。“
“Sofar，“sheadmitted，“youhaven’tbeenaltogetherunsuccessful。“
“Ifyouarealluding，“hereplied，“tothepersonalremarksIwasemboldenedtomakeonmywayhere，Icanonlysaythattheywereexcusedbytheirtruthfulness。“
“Iamnotatallsurethatyouhaveknownmelongenoughtotellmewhatcolourssuitme，“shedemurred。
“Thenwhatwillyousay，“heenquired，“ifIadmiretheangleofthatquillinyourhat？“
“Don’tdoit，“shelaughed。“Ifyoucontinuelikethis，Imayhavetogohome。“
“Youhavesentthecaraway，“heremindedhercheerfully。“Youwouldsimplyhavetosituponthebalconyandreflectuponyourwastedmorning。“
“Ideclinetotalkupontheputtinggreen，“shesaid。“Itputsmeoff。Ifyouwillstandperfectlyquietandsaynothing，Iwillplaythelike。“
Theymovedoffpresentlytothenextteeingground。
“Idon’tbelievethisnonsenseisgoodforourgolf，“shesaid。
“Itisimmenselygoodforusashumanbeings，“heprotested。
Theyhadplayedtheninthholeandturnedforhome。Ontheirrightnowwasashimmeringstretchofwetsandandathinlineofsea，inthedistance。Thetide，receding，hadleftlittleislandsofvirginsand，grasstufted，thehomeofcountlesssea-gulls。Abrown-sailedfishingboatwasracingforthenarrowentrancetothetidalway。
“Iambeginningtounderstandwhatthereisaboutthiscoastwhichfascinatedmyfatherso，“heremarked。
“Areyou？“sheansweredgravely。“YearsagoIusedtoloveit，butnotnow。“
Hetriedtochangethesubject，butthegloomhadsettleduponherfaceoncemore。
“Youdon’tknowwhatitislike，“shewenton，astheywalkedsidebysideaftertheirballs，“tolivedayandnightinfear，withnoonetotalkto-noone，thatistosay，whoisnotunderthesameshadow。Eventhevoicesofthewindandthesea，andthescreamingofthebirds，seemtobringalwaysanevilmessage。Thereisnothingkindlyorhopefuleveninthesunshine。Atnight，whenthetidecomesthunderinginasitdoessooftenatthistimeoftheyear，oneisafraid。Thereissomuchtomakeoneafraid！“
Shehadturnedpaleagain，notwithstandingthesunshineandthefresheningwind。Helaidhishandlightlyuponherarm。Shesufferedhistouchwithoutappearingtonoticeit。
“Ah，youmustn’ttalklikethat！“hepleaded。“Doyouknowwhatyoumakemefeellike？“
Shecamebackfromtheworldofherownunhappyimaginings。
“Really，Iforgotmyself，“shedeclared，withalittlesmile。
“Nevermind，itdoesonegoodsometimes。Oneup，areyou？
Henceforth，then，golf-alltherigourofthegame，mind。“
Hefellinwithhermood，andtheirconversationtouchedonlyuponthegame。Onthelastgreenhesuffereddefeatandacknowledgeditwithalittlegrimace。
“IfImightsayso，MissFentolin，“heprotested，“youarealittletoogoodforyourhandicap。Iusedtoplayaveryreasonablescratchmyself，butIcan’tgiveyouthestrokes。“
Shesmiled。
“Doubtlessyourlongabsenceabroad，“shebeganslowly，“hasaffectedyourgame。“
“Iwasroundineighty-one，“hegrumbled。
“Youmusthavetravelledinmanycountries，“shecontinued，“wheregolfwasanimpossibility。“
“Naturally，“headmitted。“Letusstayandhavelunchandtryagain。“
Sheshookherheadwithalittlesighofregret。
“Yousee，thecariswaiting，“shepointedout。“Weareexpectedhome。Ishan’tbeaminuteputtingmyclubsaway。“
TheyspedswiftlyalongthelevelroadtowardsSt。David’sHall。
Farinthedistancetheysawit，builtuponthatstrangehill，withthesunlightflashinginitswindows。Helookedatitlongandcuriously。
“Ithink，“hesaid，“thatyoursisthemostextraordinarilysituatedhouseIhaveeverseen。Fancyagiganticmoundlikethatinthemidstofanabsolutelyflatmarsh。“
Shenodded。
“ThereisnootherhousequitelikeitinEngland，“shesaid。“I
supposeitisreallyawonderfulplace。Haveyoulookedatthepictures？“
“Notcarefully，“hetoldher。
“Youmustbeforeyouleave，“sheinsisted。“Mr。Fentolinisagreatjudge，andsowashisfather。“
Theirroadcurvedalittletothesea，andatitslastbendtheywereclosetothepebblyridgeonwhichtheTowerwasbuilt。Hetouchedtheelectricbellandstoppedthecar。
“Doletuswalkalongandhavealookatmyqueerpossessiononcemore，“hebegged。“Luncheon，youtoldme，isnottillhalf-pastone，anditisaquartertonow。“
