VI 



Over the Hills and Far Away 



Nothing is so difficult as to do exactly what one 

 meant to do : bad so often becomes worse, but 

 good less frequently becomes better. 



The point of the remark is that Jane has turned 

 out so different from what she was intended to be, 

 that an ordinary digression is not enough for her. 

 She has brought her matrimonial difficulties into 

 this affair, and it looks as though we should have 

 to go from the top border to the sunk garden by 

 way of John o' Groats if she is to be shaken clear 

 of them. . . . John Smith plays the game, and 

 gives the impression that his first thought is for 

 Jane, when he says : 



" Ah — if only Jane were here ! " 



But Jane has not been here more than a few 

 days before she begins to give John away. On the 

 whole, I am not sure that John's " game " is not 

 really more treacherous than Jane's indiscretion, 

 though I would not say so for the world. Men are 

 so proud of their rules of conduct, as they have 



IOI 



