Forprotectionagainstboredom，Helenputabookofmemoirsbeneathherarm，andMrs。Flushingherpaint-box，and，thusequipped，theyallowedthemselvestobesetonshoreonthevergeoftheforest。
TheyhadnotstrolledmorethanafewhundredyardsalongthetrackwhichranparallelwiththeriverbeforeHelenprofessedtofinditwasunbearablyhot。Theriverbreezehadceased，andahotsteamyatmosphere，thickwithscents，camefromtheforest。
“Ishallsitdownhere，“sheannounced，pointingtothetrunkofatreewhichhadfallenlongagoandwasnowlacedacrossandacrossbycreepersandthong-likebrambles。Sheseatedherself，openedherparasol，andlookedattheriverwhichwasbarredbythestemsoftrees。
Sheturnedherbacktothetreeswhichdisappearedinblackshadowbehindher。
“Iquiteagree，“saidMrs。Flushing，andproceededtoundoherpaint-box。Herhusbandstrolledabouttoselectaninterestingpointofviewforher。HirstclearedaspaceonthegroundbyHelen’sside，andseatedhimselfwithgreatdeliberation，asifhedidnotmeantomoveuntilhehadtalkedtoherforalongtime。
TerenceandRachelwereleftstandingbythemselveswithoutoccupation。
Terencesawthatthetimehadcomeasitwasfatedtocome，butalthoughherealisedthishewascompletelycalmandmasterofhimself。HechosetostandforafewmomentstalkingtoHelen，andpersuadinghertoleaveherseat。Racheljoinedhimtooinadvisinghertocomewiththem。
“OfallthepeopleI’veevermet，“hesaid，“you’retheleastadventurous。
YoumightbesittingongreenchairsinHydePark。Areyougoingtosittherethewholeafternoon？Aren’tyougoingtowalk？“
“Oh，no，“saidHelen，“one’sonlygottouseone’seye。
There’severythinghere——everything，“sherepeatedinadrowsytoneofvoice。“Whatwillyougainbywalking？“
“You’llbehotanddisagreeablebytea-time，weshallbecoolandsweet，“
putinHirst。Intohiseyesashelookedupatthemhadcomeyellowandgreenreflectionsfromtheskyandthebranches，robbingthemoftheirintentness，andheseemedtothinkwhathedidnotsay。
ItwasthustakenforgrantedbythemboththatTerenceandRachelproposedtowalkintothewoodstogether；withonelookateachothertheyturnedaway。
“Good-bye！“criedRachel。
“Good-by。Bewareofsnakes，“Hirstreplied。HesettledhimselfstillmorecomfortablyundertheshadeofthefallentreeandHelen’sfigure。Astheywent，Mr。Flushingcalledafterthem，“Wemuststartinanhour。Hewet，pleaserememberthat。Anhour。“
Whethermadebyman，orforsomereasonpreservedbynature，therewasawidepathwaystrikingthroughtheforestatrightanglestotheriver。ItresembledadriveinanEnglishforest，savethattropicalbusheswiththeirsword-likeleavesgrewattheside，andthegroundwascoveredwithanunmarkedspringymossinsteadofgrass，starredwithlittleyellowflowers。
Astheypassedintothedepthsoftheforestthelightgrewdimmer，andthenoisesoftheordinaryworldwerereplacedbythosecreakingandsighingsoundswhichsuggesttothetravellerinaforestthatheiswalkingatthebottomofthesea。Thepathnarrowedandturned；
itwashedgedinbydensecreeperswhichknottedtreetotree，andbursthereandthereintostar-shapedcrimsonblossoms。
Thesighingandcreakingupabovewerebrokeneverynowandthenbythejarringcryofsomestartledanimal。Theatmospherewascloseandtheaircameattheminlanguidpuffsofscent。Thevastgreenlightwasbrokenhereandtherebyaroundofpureyellowsunlightwhichfellthroughsomegapintheimmenseumbrellaofgreenabove，andintheseyellowspacescrimsonandblackbutterflieswerecirclingandsettling。TerenceandRachelhardlyspoke。
Notonlydidthesilenceweighuponthem，buttheywerebothunabletoframeanythoughts。Therewassomethingbetweenthemwhichhadtobespokenof。Oneofthemhadtobegin，butwhichofthemwasittobe？
ThenHewetpickeduparedfruitandthrewitashighashecould。
Whenitdropped，hewouldspeak。Theyheardtheflappingofgreatwings；theyheardthefruitgopatteringthroughtheleavesandeventuallyfallwithathud。Thesilencewasagainprofound。
“Doesthisfrightenyou？“Terenceaskedwhenthesoundofthefruitfallinghadcompletelydiedaway。
“No，“sheanswered。“Ilikeit。“
Sherepeated“Ilikeit。“Shewaswalkingfast，andholdingherselfmoreerectthanusual。Therewasanotherpause。
“Youlikebeingwithme？“Terenceasked。
“Yes，withyou，“shereplied。
Hewassilentforamoment。Silenceseemedtohavefallenupontheworld。
“ThatiswhatIhavefelteversinceIknewyou，“hereplied。
“Wearehappytogether。“Hedidnotseemtobespeaking，orshetobehearing。
“Veryhappy，“sheanswered。
Theycontinuedtowalkforsometimeinsilence。Theirstepsunconsciouslyquickened。
“Weloveeachother，“Terencesaid。
“Weloveeachother，“sherepeated。
Thesilencewasthenbrokenbytheirvoiceswhichjoinedintonesofstrangeunfamiliarsoundwhichformednowords。Fasterandfastertheywalked；simultaneouslytheystopped，claspedeachotherintheirarms，thenreleasingthemselves，droppedtotheearth。
Theysatsidebyside。Soundsstoodoutfromthebackgroundmakingabridgeacrosstheirsilence；theyheardtheswishofthetreesandsomebeastcroakinginaremoteworld。
“Weloveeachother，“Terencerepeated，searchingintoherface。
Theirfaceswerebothverypaleandquiet，andtheysaidnothing。
Hewasafraidtokissheragain。Bydegreesshedrewclosetohim，andrestedagainsthim。Inthispositiontheysatforsometime。
Shesaid“Terence“once；heanswered“Rachel。“
“Terrible——terrible，“shemurmuredafteranotherpause，butinsayingthisshewasthinkingasmuchofthepersistentchurningofthewaterasofherownfeeling。Onandonitwentinthedistance，thesenselessandcruelchurningofthewater。
SheobservedthatthetearswererunningdownTerence’scheeks。
Thenextmovementwasonhispart。Averylongtimeseemedtohavepassed。Hetookouthiswatch。
“Flushingsaidanhour。We’vebeengonemorethanhalfanhour。“
“Andittakesthattogetback，“saidRachel。Sheraisedherselfveryslowly。Whenshewasstandingupshestretchedherarmsanddrewadeepbreath，halfasigh，halfayawn。Sheappearedtobeverytired。Hercheekswerewhite。“Whichway？“sheasked。
“There，“saidTerence。
Theybegantowalkbackdownthemossypathagain。Thesighingandcreakingcontinuedfaroverhead，andthejarringcriesofanimals。
Thebutterflieswerecirclingstillinthepatchesofyellowsunlight。
AtfirstTerencewascertainofhisway，butastheywalkedhebecamedoubtful。Theyhadtostoptoconsider，andthentoreturnandstartoncemore，foralthoughhewascertainofthedirectionoftheriverhewasnotcertainofstrikingthepointwheretheyhadlefttheothers。Rachelfollowedhim，stoppingwherehestopped，turningwhereheturned，ignorantoftheway，ignorantwhyhestoppedorwhyheturned。
“Idon’twanttobelate，“hesaid，“because——“Heputaflowerintoherhandandherfingerscloseduponitquietly。“We’resolate——
solate——sohorriblylate，“herepeatedasifheweretalkinginhissleep。“Ah——thisisright。Weturnhere。“
Theyfoundthemselvesagaininthebroadpath，likethedriveintheEnglishforest，wheretheyhadstartedwhentheylefttheothers。
Theywalkedoninsilenceaspeoplewalkingintheirsleep，andwereoddlyconsciousnowandagainofthemassoftheirbodies。
ThenRachelexclaimedsuddenly，“Helen！“
InthesunnyspaceattheedgeoftheforesttheysawHelenstillsittingonthetree-trunk，herdressshowingverywhiteinthesun，withHirststillproppedonhiselbowbyherside。
Theystoppedinstinctively。Atthesightofotherpeopletheycouldnotgoon。Theystoodhandinhandforaminuteortwoinsilence。
Theycouldnotbeartofaceotherpeople。
“Butwemustgoon，“Rachelinsistedatlast，inthecuriousdulltoneofvoiceinwhichtheyhadbothbeenspeaking，andwithagreatefforttheyforcedthemselvestocovertheshortdistancewhichlaybetweenthemandthepairsittingonthetree-trunk。
Astheyapproached，Helenturnedroundandlookedatthem。
Shelookedatthemforsometimewithoutspeaking，andwhentheywereclosetohershesaidquietly:
“DidyoumeetMr。Flushing？Hehasgonetofindyou。Hethoughtyoumustbelost，thoughItoldhimyouweren’tlost。“
Hirsthalfturnedroundandthrewhisheadbacksothathelookedatthebranchescrossingthemselvesintheairabovehim。
“Well，wasitworththeeffort？“heenquireddreamily。
Hewetsatdownonthegrassbyhissideandbegantofanhimself。
RachelhadbalancedherselfnearHelenontheendofthetreetrunk。
“Veryhot，“shesaid。
“Youlookexhaustedanyhow，“saidHirst。
“It’sfearfullycloseinthosetrees，“Helenremarked，pickingupherbookandshakingitfreefromthedriedbladesofgrasswhichhadfallenbetweentheleaves。Thentheywereallsilent，lookingattheriverswirlingpastinfrontofthembetweenthetrunksofthetreesuntilMr。Flushinginterruptedthem。Hebrokeoutofthetreesahundredyardstotheleft，exclaimingsharply:
“Ah，soyoufoundthewayafterall。Butit’slate——muchlaterthanwearranged，Hewet。“
Hewasslightlyannoyed，andinhiscapacityasleaderoftheexpedition，inclinedtobedictatorial。Hespokequickly，usingcuriouslysharp，meaninglesswords。
“Beinglatewouldn’tmatternormally，ofcourse，“hesaid，“butwhenit’saquestionofkeepingthemenuptotime——“
Hegatheredthemtogetherandmadethemcomedowntotheriver-bank，wheretheboatwaswaitingtorowthemouttothesteamer。
Theheatofthedaywasgoingdown，andovertheircupsofteatheFlushingstendedtobecomecommunicative。ItseemedtoTerenceashelistenedtothemtalking，thatexistencenowwentonintwodifferentlayers。HereweretheFlushingstalking，talkingsomewherehighupintheairabovehim，andheandRachelhaddroppedtothebottomoftheworldtogether。Butwithsomethingofachild’sdirectness，Mrs。Flushinghadalsotheinstinctwhichleadsachildtosuspectwhatitselderswishtokeephidden。
ShefixedTerencewithhervividblueeyesandaddressedherselftohiminparticular。Whatwouldhedo，shewantedtoknow，iftheboatranuponarockandsank。
“Wouldyoucareforanythin’butsavin’yourself？ShouldI？
No，no，“shelaughed，“notonescrap——don’ttellme。There’sonlytwocreaturestheordinarywomancaresabout，“shecontinued，“herchildandherdog；andIdon’tbelieveit’seventwowithmen。
Onereadsalotaboutlove——that’swhypoetry’ssodull。
Butwhathappensinreallife，he？Itain’tlove！“shecried。
Terencemurmuredsomethingunintelligible。Mr。Flushing，however，hadrecoveredhisurbanity。Hewassmokingacigarette，andhenowansweredhiswife。
“Youmustalwaysremember，Alice，“hesaid，“thatyourupbringingwasveryunnatural——unusual，Ishouldsay。Theyhadnomother，“
heexplained，droppingsomethingoftheformalityofhistone；
“andafather——hewasaverydelightfulman，I’venodoubt，buthecaredonlyforracehorsesandGreekstatues。Tellthemaboutthebath，Alice。“
“Inthestable-yard，“saidMrs。Flushing。“Coveredwithiceinwinter。
Wehadtogetin；ifwedidn’t，wewerewhipped。Thestrongoneslived——theothersdied。Whatyoucallsurvivalofthefittest——
amostexcellentplan，Idaresay，ifyou’vethirteenchildren！“
“AndallthisgoingonintheheartofEngland，inthenineteenthcentury！“Mr。Flushingexclaimed，turningtoHelen。
“I’dtreatmychildrenjustthesameifIhadany，“saidMrs。Flushing。
EverywordsoundedquitedistinctlyinTerence’sears；butwhatweretheysaying，andwhoweretheytalkingto，andwhowerethey，thesefantasticpeople，detachedsomewherehighupintheair？
Nowthattheyhaddrunktheirtea，theyroseandleantoverthebowoftheboat。Thesunwasgoingdown，andthewaterwasdarkandcrimson。
Theriverhadwidenedagain，andtheywerepassingalittleislandsetlikeadarkwedgeinthemiddleofthestream。Twogreatwhitebirdswithredlightsonthemstoodthereonstilt-likelegs，andthebeachoftheislandwasunmarked，savebytheskeletonprintofbirds’feet。Thebranchesofthetreesonthebanklookedmoretwistedandangularthanever，andthegreenoftheleaveswasluridandsplashedwithgold。ThenHirstbegantotalk，leaningoverthebow。
