DECEMBER 251 



" On what grounds ? " 



" That by taking the initiative she lost something 

 so precious that its loss was irremediable." 



"What did she lose?" 



" If you don't know by instinct what she lost," 

 replied Jim, deliberately puffing away at his pipe, 

 " not all the explanation in the world would convey 

 it to you. But you do know." 



" At any rate, I deny that you are right in 

 looking at the thing from that aspect. You are 

 old-fashioned and narrow and utterly mistaken. 

 You are conventional and ridiculous. You are " 



" This is the sort of argument I really enjoy," 

 said Jim. " I was afraid I should lose my affection 

 for you when I heard you demolishing Magdalen's 

 fallacies. But now I know that you are no better 

 or no worse than she is, my mind is relieved 

 about you. It is bedtime. Shall I light your 

 candle?" 



To attempt to get at Jim's real self is as futile as 

 the effort to reach the North Pole. 



A capital occupation for December evenings is 

 the planning of effects for next summer. If annuals 

 are much used a good deal of thought will be 

 required for their right selection and juxtaposition, 

 and even if nothing but perennials are grown there 

 is still scope for some foresight and judgment. In 

 February the first of the seeds will have to be 

 sown, and these should not be chosen or ordered at 

 random, so that a long winter evening or two may 

 profitably be employed in thinking out a colour 

 scheme, or in devising fresh combinations. 



Jt is a good plan just now to make a round of 



