"But then I am more or less used
to the kind of thing. I like people, I think!"
"Yes, so do I, in a sort of way," said Howard; "but, really, with
some of these caravans it is more like having a flock of sheep in
the place!"
"Well, I like SHEEP, then," said Maud; "I don't really see how we
can stop it."
"I suppose it's the seamy side of marriage!" said Howard.
Maud looked at him for a moment, and then, getting up from her
chair and coming across to him, she put her hands on his shoulders
and looked in his face.
"Are you VEXED?" she said in rather a tragic tone.
"No, of course, not vexed," said Howard, catching her round the
waist. "What an idea! I am only jealous of everything which seems
to come in between us, and I have seemed to see you lately through
a mist of oddly dressed females. It's a system, I suppose, a social
system, to enable people to waste their time. I feel as if I had
got caught in a sort of glue--wading in glue. One ought to live
life, or the best part of it, on one's own lines. I feel as if I
was on show just now, and it's a nuisance."
"Well," said Maud, "I am afraid I do rather like showing you off
and feeling grand; but it won't go on for ever. I'll try to
contrive something. I don't see why you need be drawn in. I'll talk
to Cousin Anne about it."
"But I am not going to mope alone," said Howard. "Where thou goest,
I will go. I can't bear to let you out of my sight, you little
witch! But I feel it is casting pearls before swine--your pearls, I
mean.
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