Giant’s Bread · Book II · III · Chapter 2 3 5

V

He was dancing with her. Never had he imagined that he could be so happy. She was like a feather, a rose leaf in his arms. She was wearing a pink dress again⁠—a different one. It floated out all round her.

If life could only go on like this forever⁠ ⁠… forever⁠ ⁠…

But, of course, life never did. In what seemed to Vernon like one second the music stopped. They were sitting together on two chairs.

He wanted to say a thousand things to her⁠—but he didn’t know how to begin. He heard himself saying foolish things about the floor and the music.

Fool⁠—unutterable fool! In a few minutes another dance would begin. She would be swept away from him. He must make some plan⁠—some arrangement to meet her again.

She was talking⁠—desultory in-between-dance talk. London⁠—the season. Horrible to think of⁠—she was going to dances night after night⁠—three dances a night sometimes. And here was he tied by the leg. She would marry someone⁠—some rich, clever, amusing fellow would snap her up.

He mumbled something about being in town⁠—she gave him their address. Mother would be so pleased to see him again. He wrote it down.

The music struck up. He said desperately: “Nell⁠—I say, I do call you Nell, don’t I?”

“Why, of course.” She laughed. “Do you remember hauling me over the palings that day we thought the rhinoceros was after us?”

And he had thought her a nuisance, he remembered. Nell! A nuisance!

She went on: “I used to think you were wonderful then, Vernon.”

She had, had she? But she couldn’t think him wonderful now. His mood drooped to despondency once more.

“I⁠—I was an awful little rotter, I expect,” he mumbled.

Why couldn’t he be intelligent and clever, and say witty things?

“Oh! you were a dear. Sebastian hasn’t changed much, has he?”

Sebastian. She called him Sebastian. Well, after all, he supposed she would⁠—since she called him Vernon. What a lucky thing it was that Sebastian cared for nobody but Joe. Sebastian with his money and his brains. Did Nell like Sebastian, he wondered?

“One would know his ears anywhere!” said Nell with a laugh.

Vernon felt comforted. He had forgotten Sebastian’s ears. No girl who had noticed Sebastian’s ears could go falling in love with him. Poor old Sebastian⁠—rather rough luck to be handicapped with those ears.

He saw Nell’s partner arriving. He blurted out quickly and hurriedly:

“I say, it’s wonderful to have seen you again, Nell. Don’t forget me, will you? I shall be turning up in town. It’s⁠—it’s been awfully jolly seeing you again. (Oh! damn, I said that before!) I mean⁠—it’s been simply ripping. You don’t know. But you won’t forget, will you?”

She had gone from him. He saw her whirling round in Barnard’s arms. She couldn’t like Barnard surely, could she? Barnard was such an absolute ass.

Her eyes met his over Barnard’s shoulder. She smiled.

He was in heaven again. She liked him⁠—he knew she liked him. She had smiled⁠ ⁠…