But here was he all of a sudden asking her to take a real journey with him, and at the very peremptoriness of the request her heart cried out in hope. He could not well tell her so much in words at this moment, but might not this be his way of coming to what she longed and lived for?

Half fainting she said she would go; and they made arrangements for meeting. Baldly they fixed time and place. By not a word did they betray the unusual nature of their decision.

It was her lover’s plan for the next morning that she should take an early train as far as Peterborough, and there wait for the two o’clock express by which he was travelling. From then on, they would be safe. In Edinburgh the following day he would hurry over the event which was taking him North – the unveiling of some panels of his, in which from their earliest drawings Joanna had taken a lively interest. And after that he would be free. They could go anywhere, do anything, be all the time together.

As she packed her travelling-case, Joanna had to fight down a certain nausea by pretending to herself that the whole thing was an adventure, thrilling and sweet, above all rather humorous and dashing. That she and Louis should go together to Edinburgh of all places! Was there not a nice irony in that – a delightful stroke of defiance?

But really, from the moment of agreement, her heart was sick with apprehension. The crisis of their loves was at hand. She knew it. And she was certain that Louis also knew.

VII

At Peterborough she had four hours to wait for the train that was to bring Louis.

She tried to eat, but could not, so left the station.

Walking aimlessly in the unknown streets she found herself looking about her and listening, like one who has never looked or listened before. The experience of sight was intense, almost like pain; and each sound came unprotected to her ears as if thick veils had been drawn away between her and the world. Even the movements of people, the grouping of buildings, the ways in which the clouds were arranged, were like words or sentences piercingly spoken. Arrowy voices were aimed at her from all sides. She was a frail, silken banner, riddled and tattered by well directed shafts. She was more alive to the world of sense than would long be endurable.