Basil was standing by the chains that separated the Walk from the river.
The melancholy of the evening had entered his soul. Ruth came up to
him. He was an idiot, to be sure, yet her heart went out to him in
sympathy. Mr. Brooke-Hoskyn and Mrs. Poskett were thanking Madame for
her hospitality. Jack could be seen peeping impatiently out of Doctor
Sternroyd's window, or striding to and fro in the room like a caged
tiger at feeding time.
Marjolaine whispered to Barbara. "If you are really and truly grateful,
you may be able to help me! I'll tell you a great secret." She drew
Barbara close to her. "I am to be married to-morrow!"
Barbara screamed aloud, and all the people in the Walk turned in alarm.
"Is anything the matter?" enquired Miss Ruth, anxiously.
"No, no!" said Marjolaine, laughing. "Yes," she went on, when the
others had resumed their conversation, "married secretly to-morrow.
Swear you won't tell anybody if you live to be ninety!"
"Yes! oh, yes!" cried Barbara, hopping from twig to twig. (I cannot
help it: she really was exactly like a bird!) "I mean, No! oh, no!"
"And you must be bridesmaid!"
Barbara's face expressed rapture. "Marjory!" And then with eager
curiosity, "Who is it?"
"Sh!" whispered Marjolaine. She pointed to Doctor Sternroyd's house.
"There!"
Barbara was genuinely amazed. She had heard of May and December, but
this was May of this year and December of the year-before-last. "Not
Doctor Sternroyd?" she asked aghast.
Marjolaine burst out laughing. "No, no!" She pointed again where Jack
was standing behind the curtain, the picture of misery. "There! At the
window!"
Barbara gazed and understood. "Oh, how lovely!" she cried, alluding to
the romance and secrecy.
But, of course Marjolaine accepted the epithet for Jack. "Yes, is n't
he?" She drew Barbara to the elm. "We are to be married by special
licence."
"What's that?" asked Barbara.
"I don't know. Doctor Sternroyd's getting it. It lets you go and be
married anywhere, whenever you like."
"Heavenly!" cried Barbara. "If Doctor Johnson teaches Basil what I 've
taught Doctor Johnson, Doctor Sternroyd shall get me a licence, too."
"Yes," said Marjolaine, "we'll keep him busy." Then she turned to where
Basil was gloomily watching them, and called, "Mr. Basil!"