nin."There!There!"shecried."Rightuptothetop!"Somesluggish,sloping-shoulderedfishhadfloatedupfromthedepthstoniphercrumbs."Youlook,"shesaid,jumpingdown.Andthenthedazzlingwhitewater,roughandthrottled,shotupintotheair.Thefountainspreaditself.Throughitcamethesoundofmilitarymusicfaraway.Allthewaterwaspuckeredwithdrops.Ablueair-ballgentlybumpedthesurface.Howallthenursesandchildrenandoldmenandyoungcrowdedtotheedge,leantoverandwavedtheirsticks!Thelittlegirlranstretchingherarmstowardsherair-ball,butitsankbeneaththefountain.
EdwardCruttendon,JinnyCarslake,andJacobFlanderswalkedinarowalongtheyellowgravelpathgotontothegrasssopassedunderthetreesandcameoutatthesummer-housewhereMarieAntoinetteusedtodrinkchocolate.InwentEdwardandJinny,butJacobwaitedoutside,sittingonthehandleofhiswalking-stick.Outtheycameagain.
"Well?"saidCruttendon,smilingatJacob.
JinnywaitedEdwardwaitedandbothlookedatJacob.
"Well?"saidJacob,smilingandpressingbothhandsonhisstick.
"Comealong,"hedecidedandstartedoff.Theothersfollowedhim,smiling.
Andthentheywenttothelittlecafeintheby-streetwherepeoplesitdrinkingcoffee,watchingthesoldiers,meditativelyknockingashesintotrays.
"Buthe'squitedifferent,"saidJinny,foldingherhandsoverthetopofherglass."Idon'tsupposeyouknowwhatTedmeanswhenhesaysathinglikethat,"shesaid,lookingatJacob."ButIdo.SometimesIcouldkillmyself.Sometimesheliesinbedalldaylong—justliesthere….Idon'twantyourightonthetable"shewavedherhands.Swolleniridescentpigeonswerewaddlingroundtheirfeet.
"Lookatthatwoman'shat,"saidCruttendon."Howdotheycometothinkofit?…No,Flanders,Idon'tthinkIcouldlivelikeyou.WhenonewalksdownthatstreetoppositetheBritishMuseum—what'sitcalled?—that'swhatImean.It'salllikethat.Thosefatwomen—andthemanstandinginthemiddleoftheroadasifheweregoingtohaveafit…"
"Ev