COMMUTER'S WIFE 239 



curtsy, saying, " I will, and thank you kindly," 

 becoming for the moment the comfortable English 

 countrywoman, instead of the hereditary servant out 

 of her class. Really there are human possibilities 

 in Martha. 



May ii. I think there is a four-handed romance 

 brewing in the kitchen sitting room, the quartette 

 being Bertie and Delia, sober-minded Eliza and 

 Tim, who is perfectly unconscious that he is an 

 admired party. In the evening I hear laughter and 

 know that " hearts " and " forty-five " are being 

 played. I also know that Martha Corkle does not 

 approve, for I see her rigid shadow sitting apart, 

 taking no share, but bound to play the matron. 



May 15. Colour is swathing the land again, lav- 

 ish colour, the delicate whites, flesh, and pink of 

 apple blossoms, fleecy clouds of lilacs drifting from 

 the bank-wall before the house to the roadway, 

 pinxter flower on the hillside, along the wood road 

 blending with the white dogwood, and in the garden 

 lilies-of -the- valley. Truly does the flower language 

 translate their meaning as " Return of Happiness." 



May 17. For two days we have picked and picked 

 the lilies, and yet there is no end. They will last the 

 month out if there is no heavy rain to make them 

 yellow. Evan has gone to town each day laden like 



