hated the sea, except from land, and couldn't bear the
thought of going into a boat. James, too, disliked the water, and said
that for his part he would much sooner stay on and listen to the band in
the seat they occupied, though he did not wish to stand in his wife's way
if she desired a row. The end of the discussion was that James and his
cousin's wife Emily agreed to remain where they were sitting and enjoy
the music, while they watched the other two hire a boat just beneath, and
take their water-excursion of half an hour or so, till they should choose
to come back and join the sitters on the Esplanade; when they would all
start homeward together.

'Nothing could have pleased the other two restless ones better than this
arrangement; and Emily and James watched them go down to the boatman
below and choose one of the little yellow skiffs, and walk carefully out
upon the little plank that was laid on trestles to enable them to get
alongside the craft. They saw Stephen hand Olive in, and take his seat
facing her; when they were settled they waved their hands to the couple
watching them, and then Stephen took the pair of sculls and pulled off to
the tune beat by the band, she steering through the other boats skimming
about, for the sea was as smooth as glass that evening, and
pleasure-seekers were rowing everywhere.

'"How pretty they look moving on, don't they?" said Emily to James (as
I've been assured). "They both enjoy it equally. In everything their
likings are the same."

'"That's true," said James.

'"They would have made a handsome pair if they had married," said she.

'"Yes," said he. "'Tis a pity we should have parted 'em"

'"Don't talk of that, James," said she. "For better or for worse we
decided to do as we did, and there's an end of it."

'They sat on after that without speaking, side by side, and the band
played as before; the people strolled up and down; and Stephen and Olive
shrank smaller and smaller as they shot straight out to sea. The two on
shore used to relate how they saw Stephen stop rowing a moment, and take
off his coat to get at his work better; but James's wife sat quite still
in the stern, holding the tiller-ropes by which she steered the boat.
When they had got very small indeed she turned her head to shore.

'"She is waving her handkerchief to us," said Stephen's wife, who
thereupon pulled out her own, and waved it as a return signal.

'The boat's course had been a little