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will have vanished as the monasteries vanished before them。 At the
moment； however； Mary's mind was not moved by these considerations。
On the back of the postcard； next to the address； was written； in Ivor's
bold； large hand； a single quatrain。
〃Hail； maid of moonlight！ Bride of the sun； farewell！ Like bright
plumes moulted in an angel's flight； There sleep within my heart's most
mystic cell Memories of morning； memories of the night。〃
There followed a postscript of three lines： 〃Would you mind asking
one of the housemaids to forward the packet of safety… razor blades I left
in the drawer of my washstand。 Thanks。 Ivor。
Seated under the Venus's immemorial gesture； Mary considered life
and love。 The abolition of her repressions； so far from bringing the
expected peace of mind； had brought nothing but disquiet； a new and
hitherto unexperienced misery。 Ivor； Ivor。。。She couldn't do without him
now。 It was evident； on the other hand； from the poem on the back of the
picture postcard； that Ivor could very well do without her。 He was at
Gobley now； so was Zenobia。 Mary knew Zenobia。 She thought of the
last verse of the song he had sung that night in the garden。
〃Le lendemain； Phillis peu sage Aurait donne moutons et chien Pour
un baiser que le volage A Lisette donnait pour rien。〃
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Mary shed tears at the memory； she had never been so unhappy in all
her life before。
It was Denis who first broke the silence。 〃The individual；〃 he began
in a soft and sadly philosophical tone； 〃is not a self… supporting universe。
There are times when he comes into contact with other individuals； when
he is forced to take cognisance of the existence of other universes besides
himself。〃
He had contrived this highly abstract generalisation as a preliminary to
a personal confidence。 It was the first gambit in a conversation that was
to lead up to Jenny's caricatures。
〃True；〃 said Mary； and； generalising for herself； she added； 〃When one
individual comes into intimate contact with another； sheor he； of course；
as the case may bemust almost inevitably receive or inflict suffering。〃
〃One is apt； Denis went on； 〃to be so spellbound by the spectacle of
one's own personality that one forgets that the spectacle presents itself to
other people as well as to oneself。〃
Mary was not listening。 〃The difficulty；〃 she said； 〃makes itself
acutely felt in matters of sex。 If one individual seeks intimate contact
with another individual in the natural way； she is certain to receive or
inflict suffering。 If on the other hand； she avoids contacts； she risks the
equally grave sufferings that follow on unnatural repressions。 As you see；
it's a dilemma。〃
〃When I think of my own case；〃 said Denis； making a more decided
move in the desired direction； 〃I am amazed how ignorant I am of other
people's mentality in general； and above all and in particular； of their
opinions about myself。 Our minds are sealed books only occasionally
opened to the outside world。〃 He made a gesture that was faintly
suggestive of the drawing off of a rubber band。
〃It's an awful problem；〃 said Mary thoughtfully。 〃One has to have
had personal experience to realise quite how awful it is。〃
〃Exactly。〃 Denis nodded。 〃One has to have had first…hand
experience。〃 He leaned towards her and slightly lowered his voice。
〃This very morning； for example。。。〃 he began； but his confidences were
cut short。 The deep voice of the gong； tempered by distance to a pleasant
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booming； floated down from the house。 It was lunch…time。 Mechanically
Mary rose to her feet； and Denis； a little hurt that she should exhibit such a
desperate anxiety for her food and so slight an interest in his spiritual
experiences； followed her。 They made their way up to the house without
speaking。
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CHAPTER XXV。
〃I hope you all realise；〃 said Henry Wimbush during dinner； 〃that next
Monday is Bank Holiday； and that you will all be expected to help in the
Fair。〃
〃Heavens！〃 cried Anne。 〃The FairI had forgotten all about it。 What
a nightmare！ Couldn't you put a stop to it； Uncle Henry？〃
Mr。 Wimbush sighed and shook his head。 〃Alas；〃 he said； 〃I fear I
cannot。 I should have liked to put an end to it years ago； but the claims
of Charity are strong。〃
〃It's not charity we want；〃 Anne murmured rebelliously； 〃it's justice。〃
〃Besides；〃 Mr。 Wimbush went on； 〃the Fair has become an institution。
Let me see； it must be twenty…two years since we started it。 It was a
modest affair then。 Now。。。〃 he made a sweeping movement with his hand
and was silent。
It spoke highly for Mr。 Wimbush's public spirit that he still continued
to tolerate the Fair。 Beginning as a sort of glorified church bazaar；
Crome's yearly Charity Fair had grown into a noisy thing of merry…go…
rounds； cocoanut shies； and miscellaneous side showsa real genuine fair
on the grand scale。 It was the local St。 Bartholomew； and the people of
all the neighbouring villages； with even a contingent from the county town；
flocked into the park for their Bank Holiday amusement。 The local
hospital profited handsomely； and it was this fact alone which prevented
Mr。 Wimbush； to whom the Fair was a cause of recurrent and never…
diminishing agony； from putting a stop to the nuisance which yearly
desecrated his park and garden。
〃I've made all the arrangements already；〃 Henry Wimbush went on。
〃Some of the larger marquees will be put up to…morrow。 The swings and
the merry…go…round arrive on Sunday。〃
〃So there's no escape；〃 said Anne； turning to the rest of the party。
〃You'll all have to do something。 As a special favour you're allowed to
choose your slavery。 My job is the tea tent； as usual； Aunt Priscilla。。。〃
〃My dear；〃 said Mrs。 Wimbush； interrupting her； 〃I have more
important things to think about than the Fair。 But you need have no
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doubt that I shall do my best when Monday comes to encourage the
villagers。〃
〃That's splendid；〃 said Anne。 〃Aunt Priscilla will encourage the
villagers。 What will you do； Mary？〃
〃I won't do anything where I have to stand by and watch other people
eat。〃
〃Then you'll look after the children's sports。〃
〃All right；〃 Mary agreed。 〃I'll look after the children's sports。〃
〃And Mr。 Scogan？〃
Mr。 Scogan reflected。 〃May I be allowed to tell fortunes？〃 he asked
at last。 〃I think I should be good at telling fortunes。〃
〃But you can't tell fortunes in that costume！〃
〃Can't I？〃 Mr。 Scogan surveyed himself。
〃You'll have to be dressed up。 Do you still persist？〃
〃I'm ready to suffer all indignities。〃
〃Good！〃 said Anne； and turning to Gombauld； 〃You must be our
lightning artist；〃 she said。 〃'Your portrait for a shilling in five minutes。'〃
〃It's a pity I'm not Ivor；〃 said Gombauld； with a laugh。 〃I could
throw in a picture of their Auras for an extra sixpence。〃
Mary flushed。 〃Nothing is to be gained；〃 she said severely； 〃by
speaking with levity of serious subjects。 And； after all； whatever your
personal views may be； psychical research is a perfectly serious subject。〃
〃And what about Denis？〃
Denis made a deprecating gesture。 〃I have no accomplishments；〃 he
said； 〃I'll just be one of those men who w