lothed in black, had sobbed loudly, while Mr. Clutters sniffed
and said "A-men" very emphatically, and the parson, regarding the
little group of mourners with the curiosity of a man who is bored
by death and the ritual of burial, gabbled away: _NowisChristrisen
fromthedeadandbecomethefirstfruitsofthemthatsleptforsince_

_Bymancamedeathbymancamealso_

_Theresurrectionofthedead...._

"It means breaking up everything," Gilbert still protested.

"Things are always breaking up," said Roger.

"I suppose so," Gilbert replied.

Henry had not taken part in the conversation, but had lain back in his
chair, with his hands clasped behind his head, lazily listening to what
they were saying.

"I don't think I'd like to go on living here," he exclaimed,
"particularly if Roger and Ninian go away. Perhaps we could share a flat
or something, Gilbert?"

"That's a notion," Gilbert answered.

"There's no reason why the Improved Tories should collapse just because
I'm going to get married," Roger asserted. "This house really isn't the
most convenient place to meet. We might hire a room in a hotel near the
Strand and meet there...."

7

The house was let unfurnished. The incoming tenant was willing to take
on the remainder of their lease and continue in occupation of the house
after its expiry, but he had furniture of his own, and so he had no use
for theirs. Roger took his furniture to a small house in Hampstead, and
offered to buy most of what was left, but they would not listen to his
proposals. "We'll give it to you as a wedding present," they insisted.
"If there's anything you don't want, well sell it!" Magnolia was
presented with a couple of months' wages and a new dress, and bidden to
get another home as soon as she could conveniently do so ... and then
the house was abandoned.

"It's funny," said Gilbert, as they shut the door behind them for the
last time, "it's funny that we hardly ever thought of that old woman,
and yet, the minute she dies, we sort of go to pieces. We didn't even
know she'd got a husband. Her name was Jennifer. I saw it on the coffin
lid!..."

Their arrangements for quitting the house were not completed for a month
after the burial of Mrs. Clutters, and before they finally settled their
affairs, Ninian was told that he was to proceed to South America with
the junior partner. He was to have a couple of months' leave ... "I
shall go down to Boveyhayne," he said ... after which he would leave
Engl