lding infinite possibilities of happiness or disaster. She knew
herself well enough to know that if she were wholly possessed by love
for him she would be to him as clay in the hands of the potter. She
could come to no conclusion; even if she had, she could not be certain
if she could keep to any resolve she might arrive at. During her midday
meal she remembered how Perigal had said that the "Song of Solomon"
might have been written to her. She opened her Bible, found the "Song"
and greedily devoured it. In her present mood its sensuous beauty
entranced her, but she was not a little perplexed by the headings of
the chapters. As with so many others, she found it hard to reconcile
the ecclesiastical claims here set forth at the beginning of each
chapter with the passionate outpourings of the flesh which followed.
She took the Bible with her to the office, to read the "Song" twice
during the interval usually allotted to afternoon tea.

When she got back to Mrs Farthing's, she was long undecided whether she
should go out to meet Perigal. The leanings of her heart inclined her
to keep the appointment, whilst, on the other hand, her strong common
sense urged her to decide nothing until Windebank came back. Windebank
she was sure of, whereas she was not so confident of Perigal; but she
was forced to admit that the elusive and more subtle personality of the
latter appealed more to her imagination than the other's stability.
Presently, she left her lodgings and walked slowly towards the canal,
which was in a contrary direction to that in which lay the Avon. The
calm of the still water inclined her to sadness. She idled along the
towpath, plucking carelessly at the purple vetch which bordered the
canal in luxuriant profusion. More than once, she was possessed by the
idea that someone was following her. Then she became aware that Perigal
was also idling along the towpath some way behind her. The sight of him
made her heart beat; she all but decided to turn back to meet him.
Common sense again fought for the possession of her mind. It told her
that by dawdling till she reached the next bend, she could be out of
sight of Perigal, without exciting his suspicions, when it would be the
easiest thing in the world to hurry till she came to a track which led
from the canal to the town. She was putting this design into practice,
and had already reached the bend, when odd verses of the "Song of
Solomon" occurred to her:

"Behold, thou art