Page:The Works of H G Wells Volume 1.pdf/284

Rh "He's a mischief-making idler.&hellip; I know the breed. But I'll give you a week"

"Thank you," said the Vicar. "I understand your position. I perceive the situation is getting intolerable.&hellip;"

"Sorry to give you this bother, of course," said Sir John.

"A week," said the Vicar.

"A week," said Sir John, leaving.

The Vicar returned, after accompanying Gotch out, and for a long time he remained sitting before the desk in his study, plunged in thought. "A week!" he said, after an immense silence. "Here is an Angel, a glorious Angel, who has quickened my soul to beauty and delight, who has opened my eyes to Wonderland, and something more than Wonderland,&hellip; and I have promised to get rid of him in a week! What are we men made of?&hellip; How can I tell him?"

He began to walk up and down the room, then he went into the dining-room and stood staring blankly out at the corn field. The table was already laid for lunch. Presently he turned, still dreaming, and almost mechanically helped himself to a glass of sherry.

§ 43

Angel lay upon the summit of the cliff above Bandram Bay, and stared out at the glittering sea. Sheer from under his elbows fell the cliff, five hundred and seven feet of it down to the datum line, and the 252