92

Flower o’ the Clove

mean to say you’ve not discovered that yet ? Oh, Will, if I were
you, and you were I, how differently we should be employing this
heaven-sent summer’s afternoon.”

“ What should we be doing ? ”

“ That’s a secret. Pray the fairies to-night to transpose our
souls, and you’ll know by to-morrow morning—if the fairies grant
your prayer. But in the meanwhile you must try to entertain
me. Tell me another story.”

“ I can’t think of any more stories till I’ve had my tea.”

“You shan’t have any tea unless you earn it. Now that
Madame Dornaye’s no longer present, you can tell me of some of
your grown-up love affairs, some of your flesh-and-blood ones.”

“ I’ve never had a grown-up love affair.”

“ Oh, come ! you can’t expect me to believe that.”

“It’s the truth, all the same.”

“Well, then, it’s high time you should have one. How old did
you say you were ? ”

“ I’m thirty-three.”

“ And you’ve never had a love affair ! Ft done ! I’m barely
twenty-eight, and I’ve had a hundred.”

“Have you ?” he asked, a little ruefully.

“No, I haven’t. But everybody’s had at least one. So tell me
vours.”

“Upon my word, I’ve not had even one.”

“It seems incredible. How have you contrived it ?”

“ The circumstances of my birth contrived it for me. It
would be impossible for me to have a love affair with a woman I
could love.”

“ Impossible ? For goodness’ sake, why ? ”

“ What woman would accept the addresses of a man without a
name ? ”

“ Haven’t