ends, and they had wanted us to spend Christmas with them.
Though we had not done so, we had motored over several times and they
had lunched with us at Fallow only the day before. And for New Year's
Eve the Hathaways had arranged a small but very special ball, to which,
of course, we were bidden. Indeed, I think the ball was more for us
than for anyone else. Anyway, Jim and Milly said so. The idea was
that we should come over in the car in time for dinner with the
house-party, the ball would begin about ten, and when it was over, we
should return to Fallow in the ordinary way. Nobody had anticipated
such heavy weather.

And now it was a question whether we should be able to go. Also, if we
went, whether we should be able to get back. The dispute waxed.
Daphne and Jill insisted that go we must, could, and should. I rather
supported them. Berry and Jonah opposed us; the latter quietly, as is
his wont, the former with a simple stream of provoking irony. At
length:

"Very well, ghouls," said Berry, "have your most wicked way. Doubtless
the good monks of the Hospice will find my corpse. I wish the
drinking-trough, which will be erected to my memory, to stand half-way
up St. James's Street. How strange it will sound in future."

"What'll sound?" said Jill. "The new Saint's Day, dear--Berrymas."

When order had been restored, Jonah suggested that we should adjourn
the debate till the next morning, in case it stopped snowing during the
night. As it was nearly one, the idea seemed a good one, and we went
to bed.

The morning was bright and cloudless. The cold was intense, but the
sun glorious, while the clear blue sky looked as if it had never heard
of snow. In a word, the weather was now magnificent, and, but for the
real evidence Upon the country-side, no one would ever have believed
such a cheery, good-natured fellow guilty of a raging blizzard. But
the snow lay thick upon the ground, and it was freezing hard.

"We can get there all right," said Jonah, "but I don't see the car
coming back at four o'clock in the morning. No, thanks, I'Il have
marmalade."

"There's almost a full moon," said I.

"I know," said Berry, "but the banjo's being painted."

"We'd better stop at the inn at Steeple Abbas," said Jonah.

"If we can get as far as Steeple, we can make Fallow," said I.
"Remember, I'm driving."

"We are not likely to forget it, brother," said Berry. "If you knew
the difference between the pe