e me go here and
go there with her. Shell keep me making love to her when I ought to be
working. God damn women, Quinny!"

"You're excited, Gilbert!"

"Yes, I know I am. When I'm with Cecily, I'm like a jelly-fish. She
sucks the brains out of me. She doesn't care whether I finish my comedy
or not. She doesn't care what happens to my work so long as I hang
around and love her and kiss her whenever she wants me to. My brains go
to bits when I'm with her. I'm all emotion and sensation ... just like
those asses Lensley and Boltt. Quinny, fancy spending your life turning
out the sort of stuff those two men write. They've written about a dozen
books each, and I suppose they're good for twenty or thirty more. I'd
rather be a scavenger!"

They walked along the Embankment towards Waterloo Bridge.

"I'm going to Anglesey," Gilbert said. "I shall go and stay there until
the end of the summer!"

"I shall miss you, Gilbert. So will Ninian and Roger!"

"I shall miss you three, but it can't be helped. I'm the sort of man who
succumbs to women ... I can't help it. If they're beautiful and soft and
full of love ... like Cecily ... they down me. Their femininity topples
me over, and there's no work to be got out of me while I'm like that.
But my work's of more consequence to me than loving and kissing, Quinny,
and if I can't do it while I'm Cecily's lover, then I'll go away from
her and do it!"

"What makes you think you could do it if she were to go away with you?"

"I don't know. Hope, I suppose."

They walked up Villiers Street into the Strand, and made their way
towards Bloomsbury.

"I suppose," said Gilbert, "you wouldn't like to come to Anglesey too?"

Henry hesitated for a few moments. He had a vision of Lady Cecily's
beautiful face leaning against the padded side of the car, and he
remembered that she had smiled and waved her hand to him....

"No," he replied, "I don't think so ... not at present at any rate!" and
then, added in explanation, "If I go, too, the house will be broken up.
That would be a pity!"

"I forgot that," Gilbert answered. "Yes, of course!"

THE SIXTH CHAPTER

1

Gilbert did not leave London, as he had intended, for Sir Geoffrey
Mundane definitely decided to produce "The Magic Casement" in succession
to the play which was then being performed at his theatre. He had
already discussed the caste with Gilbert, and on the morning after the
scene on the Embankment, he telephoned to Gilbe