She moved from the window, and busied herself with a bowl of flowers.  She had heard that humming sound which often heralded her husband’s approach, as though warning the world to recover its good form before he reached it.  In her happiness she felt kind and friendly to him.  If he had not meant to give her joy, he had nevertheless given it!  He came downstairs two at a time, with that air of not being a pedagogue, which she knew so well; and, taking his hat off the stand, half turned round to her.

“Pleasant youth, young Lennan; hope he won’t bore us out there!”

His voice seemed to have an accent of compunction, to ask pardon for having issued that impulsive invitation.  And there came to her an overwhelming wish to laugh.  To hide it, to find excuse for it, she ran up to him, and, pulling his coat lapels till his face was within reach, she kissed the tip of his nose.  And then she laughed.  And he stood looking at her, with his head just a little on one side, and his eyebrows just a little raised.

IV

When young Mark heard a soft tapping at his door, though out of bed, he was getting on but dreamily—­it was so jolly to watch the mountains lying out in this early light like huge beasts.  That one they were going up, with his head just raised above his paws, looked very far away out there!  Opening the door an inch, he whispered: 

“Is it late?”

“Five o’clock; aren’t you ready?”

It was awfully rude of him to keep her waiting!  And he was soon down in the empty dining-room, where a sleepy maid was already bringing in their coffee.  Anna was there alone.  She had on a flax-blue shirt, open at the neck, a short green skirt, and a grey-green velvety hat, small, with one black-cock’s feather.  Why could not people always wear such nice things, and be as splendid-looking!  And he said: 

“You do look jolly, Mrs. Stormer!”

She did not answer for so long that he wondered if it had been rude to say that.  But she did look so strong, and swift, and happy-looking.

Down the hill, through a wood of larch-trees, to the river, and across the bridge, to mount at once by a path through hay-fields.  How could old Stormer stay in bed on such a morning!  The peasant girls in their blue linen skirts were already gathering into bundles what the men had scythed.  One, raking at the edge of a field, paused and shyly nodded to them.  She had the face of a Madonna, very calm and grave and sweet, with delicate arched brows—­ a face it was pure pleasure to see.  The boy looked back at her.  Everything to him, who had never been out of England before, seemed strange and glamorous.  The chalets, with their long wide burnt-brown wooden balconies and low-hanging eaves jutting far beyond the walls; these bright dresses of the peasant women; the friendly little cream-coloured cows, with blunt,