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evening； mellow over the green watermeadows and the winding
alder trees beside the river； and the pale stretches of stubble
beyond。 There the evening glowed softly； and even a peewit was
flapping in solitude and peace。
Ursula and Anton Skrebensky walked along the ridge of the
canal between。 The berries on the hedges were crimson and bright
red； above the leaves。 The glow of evening and the wheeling of
the solitary peewit and the faint cry of the birds came to meet
the shuffling noise of the pits； the dark； fuming stress of the
town opposite； and they two walked the blue strip of waterway；
the ribbon of sky between。
He was looking； Ursula thought； very beautiful； because of a
flush of sunburn on his hands and face。 He was telling her how
he had learned to shoe horses and select cattle fit for
killing。
〃Do you like to be a soldier？〃 she asked。
〃I am not exactly a soldier；〃 he replied。
〃But you only do things for wars；〃 she said。
〃Yes。〃
〃Would you like to go to war？〃
〃I？ Well； it would be exciting。 If there were a war I would
want to go。〃
A strange； distracted feeling came over her； a sense of
potent unrealities。
〃Why would you want to go？〃
〃I should be doing something； it would be genuine。 It's a
sort of toylife as it is。〃
〃But what would you be doing if you went to war？〃
〃I would be making railways or bridges； working like a
nigger。〃
〃But you'd only make them to be pulled down again when the
armies had done with them。 It seems just as much a game。〃
〃If you call war a game。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃It's about the most serious business there is；
fighting。〃
A sense of hard separateness came over her。
〃Why is fighting more serious than anything else？〃 she
asked。
〃You either kill or get killedand I suppose it is
serious enough； killing。〃
〃But when you're dead you don't matter any more；〃 she
said。
He was silenced for a moment。
〃But the result matters；〃 he said。 〃It matters whether we
settle the Mahdi or not。〃
〃Not to younor mewe don't care about
Khartoum。〃
〃You want to have room to live in： and somebody has to make
room。〃
〃But I don't want to live in the desert of Saharado
you？〃 she replied； laughing with antagonism。
〃I don'tbut we've got to back up those who do。
〃Why have we？〃
〃Where is the nation if we don't？〃
〃But we aren't the nation。 There are heaps of other people
who are the nation。〃
〃They might say they weren't either。〃
〃Well； if everybody said it； there wouldn't be a nation。 But
I should still be myself；〃 she asserted brilliantly。
〃You wouldn't be yourself if there were no nation。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because you'd just be a prey to everybody and anybody。〃
〃How a prey？〃
〃They'd e and take everything you'd got。〃
〃Well； they couldn't take much even then。 I don't care what
they take。 I'd rather have a robber who carried me off than a
millionaire who gave me everything you can buy。〃
〃That's because you are a romanticist。〃
〃Yes； I am。 I want to be romantic。 I hate houses that never
go away； and people just living in the houses。 It's all so stiff
and stupid。 I hate soldiers； they are stiff and wooden。 What do
you fight for； really？〃
〃I would fight for the nation。〃
〃For all that； you aren't the nation。 What would you do for
yourself？〃
〃I belong to the nation and must do my duty by the
nation。〃
〃But when it didn't need your services in
particularwhen there is no fighting？ What would you do
then？〃
He was irritated。
〃I would do what everybody else does。〃
〃What？〃
〃Nothing。 I would be in readiness for when I was needed。〃
The answer came in exasperation。
〃It seems to me；〃 she answered； 〃as if you weren't
anybodyas if there weren't anybody there； where you are。
Are you anybody； really？ You seem like nothing to me。〃
They had walked till they had reached a wharf； just above a
lock。 There an empty barge； painted with a red and yellow cabin
hood； but with a long； coalblack hold； was lying moored。 A man；
lean and grimy； was sitting on a box against the cabinside by
the door； smoking； and nursing a baby that was wrapped in a drab
shawl； and looking into the glow of evening。 A woman bustled
out； sent a pail dashing into the canal； drew her water； and
bustled in again。 Children's voices were heard。 A thin blue
smoke ascended from the cabin chimney； there was a smell of
cooking。
Ursula； white as a moth； lingered to look。 Skrebensky
lingered by her。 The man glanced up。
〃Good evening；〃 he called； half impudent； half attracted。 He
had blue eyes which glanced impudently from his grimy face。
〃Good evening；〃 said Ursula； delighted。 〃Isn't it
nice now？〃
〃Ay；〃 said the man； 〃very nice。〃
His mouth was red under his ragged； sandy moustache。 His
teeth were white as he laughed。
〃Oh； but〃 stammered Ursula； laughing； 〃it is。 Why do
you say it as if it weren't？〃
〃'Appen for them as is childtnursin' it's none so rosy。〃
〃May I look inside your barge？〃 asked Ursula。
〃There's nobody'll stop you； you e if you like。〃
The barge lay at the opposite bank； at the wharf。 It was the
Annabel； belonging to J。 Ruth of Loughborough。 The man
watched Ursula closely from his keen； twinkling eyes。 His fair
hair was wispy on his grimed forehead。 Two dirty children
appeared to see who was talking。
Ursula glanced at the great lock gates。 They were shut； and
the water was sounding； spurting and trickling down in the gloom
beyond。 On this side the bright water was almost to the top of
the gate。 She went boldly across； and round to the wharf。
Stooping from the bank； she peeped into the cabin； where was
a red glow of fire and the shadowy figure of a woman。 She did
want to go down。
〃You'll mess your frock；〃 said the man； warningly。
〃I'll be careful；〃 she answered。 〃May I e？〃
〃Ay； e if you like。〃
She gathered her skirts； lowered her foot to the side of the
boat； and leapt down； laughing。 Coaldust flew up。
The woman came to the door。 She was plump and sandyhaired；
young； with an odd； stubby nose。
〃Oh； you will make a mess of yourself；〃 she cried；
surprised and laughing with a little wonder。
〃I did want to see。 Isn't it lovely living on a barge？〃 asked
Ursula。
〃I don't live on one altogether；〃 said the woman
cheerfully。
〃She's got her parlour an' her plush suite in Loughborough；〃
said her husband with just pride。
Ursula peeped into the cabin； where saucepans were boiling
and some dishes were on the table。 It was very hot。 Then she
came out again。 The man was talking to the baby。 It was a
blueeyed； freshfaced thing with floss of redgold hair。
〃Is it a boy or a girl？〃 she asked。
〃It's a girlaren't you a girl； eh？〃 he shouted at the
infant； shaking his head。 Its little face wrinkled up into the
oddest； funniest smile。
〃Oh！〃 cried Ursula。 〃Oh； the dear！ Oh； how nice when she
laughs！〃
〃She'll laugh hard enough；〃 said the father。
〃What is her name？〃 asked Ursula。
〃She hasn't got a name； she's not worth one；〃 said the man。
〃Are you； you fagend o' nothing？〃 he shouted to the baby。 The
baby laughed。
〃No we've been that busy； we've never took her to th'
registry office；〃 came the woman's voice。 〃She was born on th'
boat here。〃
〃But you know what you're going to call her？〃 asked
Ursula。
〃We did think of Gladys Em'ly；〃 said the mother。
〃We thought of nowt o' th' sort；〃 said the father。
〃Hark at him！ What do you want？' cried the mother in
exasperation。
〃She'll be called Annabel after th' boat she was born
on。〃
〃She's not； so there；〃 said the mother； viciously defiant
The father sat in humorous malice； grinning。
〃Well； you'll see；〃 he said。
And Ursula could tell； by the woman's vibrating exasperation；
that he would never give way。
〃They're all nice names；〃 she said。 〃Call her Gladys Annabel
Emily。〃
〃Nay； that's heavyladen； if you like；〃 he answered。
〃You see！〃 cried the woman。 〃He's that pigheaded！〃
〃And she's so nice； and she laughs； and she hasn't even got a
name；〃 crooned Ursula to the child。
〃Let me hold her；〃 she added。
He yielded her the child； that smelt of babies。 But it had
such blue； wide； china blue eyes； and it laughed so oddly； with
such a taking grimace；