nswer. He went to the hedge and drew out a long supple
twig of hazel, stripped it of its leaves, and once more tried, with it,
to tie up his parcel. But the angle was too acute, and just as the twig
tightened satisfactorily it snapped, and this time the razor slid out
sideways into a single minute puddle that lay on the path.

The Major snorted in mirthful impatience.

"But--"

"Kindly let me alone," said Frank icily. "The thing's got to go like
this, or not at all."

He drew out the razor from the puddle, opened it and dried the blade on
his sleeve. During the process Gertie moved suddenly, and he looked up.
When he looked down again be perceived that he had slit a neat slice
into the cloth of his jacket.

He remained quite still for one moment. Then he sat down on the bank,
and examined the twine once more.

The Major began to make slightly offensive comments. Then Frank looked
up.

"You can go to hell!" he said quite softly, "or anywhere else you like.
But I'm going to do up the bundle in my way and not yours."

* * * * *

Now that is a sort of parable. It really happened, for it was reported
to a witness by Frank himself exactly as I have told it, and it seems to
me a very good little symbol of his state of mind. It is quite
indefensible, of course--and especially his regrettable language that
closed the interview; but it gives a pleasant little glimpse, I think,
of Frank's character just now, in section. The things had to go in a
certain way: he saw no adequate reason to change that way, and
ultimately, of course, the twine held. It must have been a great
satisfaction to him.

(III)

It seems that Frank must have been allowed just now to sample several
different kinds of moods, for he had a very different kind of awakening
a day or two later.

They had come to some piece of open country that I am unable to
identify, and for some reason or other determined to spend the night out
of doors. There was a copse a hundred yards away from the road, and in
the copse a couple of small shelters built, probably, for wood-pigeon
shooting. The Major and Gertie took possession of one, and Frank of the
other, after they had supped in the dark under the beeches.

* * * * *

Frank slept deeply and well, half waking once, however, at that strange
moment of the night when the earth turns and sighs in her sleep, when
every cow gets up and lies down again