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followed his aunt； he belonged to a generation that is
supposed to be over…fond of the role of mere spectator；
but looking at napkins that one did not mean to buy was a
pleasure beyond his comprehension。 Mrs。 Chemping held
one or two napkins up to the light and stared fixedly at
them； as though she half expected to find some
revolutionary cypher written on them in scarcely visible
ink； then she suddenly broke away in the direction of the
glassware department。
〃Millicent asked me to get her a couple of decanters
if there were any going really cheap；〃 she explained on
the way； 〃and I really do want a salad bowl。 I can come
back to the napkins later on。〃
She handled and scrutinised a large number of
decanters and a long series of salad bowls； and finally
bought seven chrysanthemum vases。
〃No one uses that kind of vase nowadays；〃 she
informed Cyprian； 〃but they will do for presents next
Christmas。〃
Two sunshades that were marked down to a price that
Mrs。 Chemping considered absurdly cheap were added to her
purchases。
〃One of them will do for Ruth Colson； she is going
out to the Malay States； and a sunshade will always be
useful there。 And I must get her some thin writing
paper。 It takes up no room in one's baggage。〃
Mrs。 Chemping bought stacks of writing paper； it was
so cheap； and it went so flat in a trunk or portmanteau。
She also bought a few envelopes … envelopes somehow
seemed rather an extragavance compared with notepaper。
〃Do you think Ruth will like blue or grey paper？〃
she asked Cyprian。
〃Grey；〃 said Cyprian； who had never met the lady in
question。
〃Have you any mauve notepaper of this quality？〃
Adela asked the assistant。
〃We haven't any mauve；〃 said the assistant； 〃but
we've two shades of green and a darker shade of grey。〃
Mrs。 Chemping inspected the greens and the darker
grey； and chose the blue。
〃Now we can have some lunch；〃 she said。
Cyprian behaved in an exemplary fashion in the
refreshment department； and cheerfully accepted a fish
cake and a mince pie and a small cup of coffee as
adequate restoratives after two hours of concentrated
shopping。 He was adamant； however； in resisting his
aunt's suggestion that a hat should be bought for him at
the counter where men's headwear was being disposed of at
temptingly reduced prices。
〃I've got as many hats as I want at home；〃 he said；
〃and besides； it rumples one's hair so； trying them on。〃
Perhaps he was going to develop into a Nut after
all。 It was a disquieting symptom that he left all the
parcels in charge of the cloak…room attendant。
〃We shall be getting more parcels presently；〃 he
said； 〃so we need not collect these till we have finished
our shopping。〃
His aunt was doubtfully appeased； some of the
pleasure and excitement of a shopping expedition seemed
to evaporate when one was deprived of immediate personal
contact with one's purchases。
〃I'm going to look at those napkins again；〃 she
said； as they descended the stairs to the ground floor。
〃You need not come；〃 she added； as the dreaming look in
the boy's eyes changed for a moment into one of mute
protest； 〃you can meet me afterwards in the cutlery
department； I've just remembered that I haven't a
corkscrew in the house that can be depended on。〃
Cyprian was not to be found in the cutlery
department when his aunt in due course arrived there； but
in the crush and bustle of anxious shoppers and busy
attendants it was an easy matter to miss anyone。 It was
in the leather goods department some quarter of an hour
later that Adela Chemping caught sight of her nephew；
separated from her by a rampart of suit…cases and
portmanteaux and hemmed in by the jostling crush of human
beings that now invaded every corner of the great
shopping emporium。 She was just in time to witness a
pardonable but rather embarrassing mistake on the part of
a lady who had wriggled her way with unstayable
determination towards the bareheaded Cyprian； and was now
breathlessly demanding the sale price of a handbag which
had taken her fancy。
〃There now；〃 exclaimed Adela to herself； 〃she takes
him for one of the shop assistants because he hasn't got
a hat on。 I wonder it hasn't happened before。〃
Perhaps it had。 Cyprian； at any rate； seemed
neither startled nor embarrassed by the error into which
the good lady had fallen。 Examining the ticket on the
bag； he announced in a clear； dispassionate voice：
〃Black seal； thirty…four shillings； marked down to
twenty…eight。 As a matter of fact； we are clearing them
out at a special reduction price of twenty…six shillings。
They are going off rather fast。〃
〃I'll take it；〃 said the lady； eagerly digging some
coins out of her purse。
〃Will you take it as it is？〃 asked Cyprian； 〃it will
be a matter of a few minutes to get it wrapped up； there
is such a crush。〃
〃Never mind； I'll take it as it is；〃 said the
purchaser； clutching her treasure and counting the money
into Cyprian's palm。
Several kind strangers helped Adela into the open
air。
〃It's the crush and the heat；〃 said one sympathiser
to another； 〃it's enough to turn anyone giddy。〃
When she next came across Cyprian he was standing in
the crowd that pushed and jostled around the counters of
the book department。 The dream look was deeper than ever
in his eyes。 He had just sold two books of devotion to
an elderly Canon。
THE QUINCE TREE
〃I'VE just been to see old Betsy Mullen；〃 announced
Vera to her aunt； Mrs。 Bebberly Cumble； 〃she seems in
rather a bad way about her rent。 She owes about fifteen
weeks of it； and says she doesn't know where any of it is
to come from。〃
〃Betsy Mullen always is in difficulties with her
rent； and the more people help her with it the less she
troubles about it；〃 said the aunt。 〃I certainly am not
going to assist her any more。 The fact is； she will have
to go into a smaller and cheaper cottage； there are
several to be had at the other end of the village for
half the rent that she is paying； or supposed to be
paying； now。 I told her a year ago that she ought to
move。〃
〃But she wouldn't get such a nice garden anywhere
else；〃 protested Vera； 〃and there's such a jolly quince
tree in the corner。 I don't suppose there's another
quince tree in the whole parish。 And she never makes any
quince jam； I think to have a quince tree and not to make
quince jam shows such strength of character。 Oh； she
can't possibly move away from that garden。〃
〃When one is sixteen；〃 said Mrs。 Bebberly Cumble
severely； 〃one talks of things being impossible which are
merely uncongenial。 It is not only possible but it is
desirable that Betsy Mullen should move into smaller
quarters； she has scarcely enough furniture to fill that
big cottage。〃
〃As far as value goes；〃 said Vera after a short
pause； 〃there is more in Betsy's cottage than in any
other house for miles round。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said the aunt； 〃she parted with whatever
old china ware she had long ago。〃
〃I'm not talking about anything that belongs to
Betsy herself；〃 said Vera darkly； 〃but； of course； you
don't know what I know； and I don't suppose I ought to
tell you。〃
〃You must tell me at once；〃 exclaimed the aunt； her
senses leaping into alertness like those of a terrier
suddenly exchanging a bored drowsiness for the lively
anticipation of an immediate rat hunt。
〃I'm perfectly certain that I oughtn't to tell you
anything about it；〃 said Vera； 〃but； then； I often do
things that I oughtn't to do。〃
〃I should be the last person to suggest that you
should do anything that you ought not to do to … 〃 began
Mrs。 Bebberly Cumble impressively。
〃And I am always swayed by the last person who
speaks to me；〃 admitted Vera； 〃so I'll do what I ought
not to do and tell you。〃
Mrs。 Bebberley Cumble thrust a very pardonable sense
of exasperation into the background of her mind and
demanded impatiently：
〃What is there in Betsy Mullen's cottage that you
are making such a fuss about？〃
〃It's hardly fair to say that I'VE made a fuss about
it；〃 said Vera； 〃this is the first time I've mentioned
the matter； but there's been no end of trouble and
mystery and newspaper speculation about it。 It's rather
amusing to think of the columns of conjecture in the
Press and the police and detectives hunting about
everywhere at home and abroad； and all the while that
innocent…looking little cottage has held the secret。〃
〃You don't mean to say it's the Louvre picture； La
Something or other； the woman with the smile； that
disappeared about two years ago？〃 exclaimed the aunt with
rising excitement。
〃Oh no； not that；〃 sai