"And what might you be doing now, Perry?" enquired my companion,
swinging his long, booted legs and stealing a backward glance at his
fair, young wife seated on the driving seat beside Diana. "Isn't she
perfectly wonderful?" he murmured.
"She is!" I answered.
"Her hair," he sighed; "her hair, you'll notice, is--"
"The most glorious in all the world!" quoth I.
"Absolutely, Perry! Beyond all doubt--"
"Though it is not really black, Anthony--"
"Black!" he exclaimed, turning on me with a sort of leap.
"No, not black, Anthony, sometimes it seems full of small fires--"
Now at this he laughed and I laughed, all unheeded by the two upon the
driving seat who talked softly and questioned each other with their
lovely faces very close together, while Diogenes the knowing slowed to
his meditative amble.
"You must forgive me, Perry, I--I've only been a Benedict since two
o'clock. But tell me of yourself; what you are doing, how you live and
where?"
"I am learning the art of working in iron, Anthony, and of making and
mending kettles--"
"Gad--a tinker, Perry?"
"Yes. And I am living in a wood with one Jerry Jarvis, Jessamy Todd,
and Diana--"
"The famous Jessamy?"
"Yes. He is instructing me in the noble art."
"Good heavens! And your--your people?"
"They perforce acquiesce."
"In--in everything, Perry--your marriage?"
"What else can they do?"
"And when you are married, how shall you live?"
"Travel the country tinkering with Jerry--or buy a cottage until I
come into my property.
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