Ashurst, full length on the horsehair sofa, and jutting far beyond its
end, smoked a deeply-coloured pipe, and did not listen, thinking of the
girl's face when she brought in a relay of cakes. It had been exactly
like looking at a flower, or some other pretty sight in Nature-till,
with a funny little shiver, she had lowered her glance and gone out,
quiet as a mouse.

"Let's go to the kitchen," said Garton, "and see some more of her."

The kitchen was a white-washed room with rafters, to which were attached
smoked hams; there were flower-pots on the window-sill, and guns hanging
on nails, queer mugs, china and pewter, and portraits of Queen Victoria.
A long, narrow table of plain wood was set with bowls and spoons, under
a string of high-hung onions; two sheep-dogs and three cats lay here and
there. On one side of the recessed fireplace sat two small boys, idle,
and good as gold; on the other sat a stout, light-eyed, red-faced youth
with hair and lashes the colour of the tow he was running through the
barrel of a gun; between them Mrs. Narracombe dreamily stirred some
savoury-scented stew in a large pot. Two other youths, oblique-eyed,
dark-haired, rather sly-faced, like the two little boys, were
talking together and lolling against the wall; and a short, elderly,
clean-shaven man in corduroys, seated in the window, was conning a
battered journal. The girl Megan seemed the only active creature-drawing
cider and passing with the jugs from cask to table. Seeing them thus
about to eat, Garton said:

"Ah! If you'll let us, we'll come back when supper's over," and without
waiting for an answer they withdrew again to the parlour. But the colour
in the kitchen, the warmth, the scents, and all those faces, heightened
the bleakness of their shiny room, and they resumed their seats moodily.

"Regular gipsy type, those boys. There was only one Saxon--the fellow
cleaning the gun. That girl is a very subtle study psychologically."

Ashurst's lips twitched. Garton seemed to him an ass just then. Subtle
study! She was a wild flower. A creature it did you good to look at.
Study!

Garton went on:

"Emotionally she would be wonderful. She wants awakening."

"Are you going to awaken her?"

Garton looked at him and smiled. 'How coarse and English you are!' that
curly smile seemed saying.

And Ashurst puffed his pipe. Awaken her! That fool had the best opinion
of himself! He threw up the window and leaned out. Dusk had gathered
t