close that we must feel sure that he saw
the hook. But there are fish so silly that they will take the bait
although they know the hook is there. Cheesacre understood it all.
Many things he could not see, but he could see that Mrs Greenow was
trying to catch him as a husband for Charlie Fairstairs; and he
knew also that he had always despised Charlie, and that no worldly
advantage whatever would accrue to him by a marriage with such a
girl. But there she was, and he didn't quite know how to avoid it.
She did look rather nice in her clear-starched muslin frock, and he
felt that he should like to kiss her. He needn't marry her because he
kissed her. The champagne which had created the desire also gave him
the audacity. He gave one glance around him to see that he was not
observed, and then he did kiss Charlie Fairstairs under the trees.
"Oh, Mr Cheesacre," said Charlie. "Oh, Mr Cheesacre," echoed a
laughing voice; and poor Cheesacre, looking round, saw that Mrs
Greenow, who ought to have been inside the house looking after the
boiling water, was moving about for some unknown reason within sight
of the spot which he had chosen for his dalliance.

"Mr Cheesacre," said Charlie sobbing, "how dare you do that?--and
where all the world could see you?"

"It was only Mrs Greenow," said Cheesacre.

"And what will she think of me?"

"Lord bless you--she won't think anything about it."

"But I do;--I think a great deal about it. I don't know what to do,
I don't;--I don't." Whereupon Charlie got up from her seat under the
trees and began to move away slowly. Cheesacre thought about it for
a moment or two. Should he follow her or should he not? He knew that
he had better not follow her. He knew that she was bait with a very
visible hook. He knew that he was a big fish for whom these two women
were angling. But after all, perhaps it wouldn't do him much harm to
be caught. So he got up and followed her. I don't suppose she meant
to take the way towards the woods,--towards the little path leading
to the old summer-house up in the trees. She was too much beside
herself to know where she was going, no doubt. But that was the
path she did take, and before long she and Cheesacre were in the
summerhouse together. "Don't, Sam, don't! Somebody really will be
coming. Well, then, there. Now I won't do it again." 'Twas thus she
spoke when the last kiss was given on this occasion;--unless there
may have been one or two later in the evening,