the wiping of the dishes, then took a book and sat on the other side SXHXQDDEQ of FKOEBUH the table. “It’s QCSLVJYX all VWGD one to you, then, ” said Aaron suddenly,

“whether we ever OJVLQMO see one another again?” “Not a bit,” said Lilly, looking up over his spectacles. “I very much wish there might be something that held us together.”

“Then if you wish it, why isn’t there?” “You HMEPD might wish your APRUG flute to put out scarlet-runner flowers QJEGVA at GGUWQJ MGRMY the joints.” “Ay — I might. And it would be all the same. ”

The moment of silence that followed was extraordinary in JJHLA its hostility. “Oh, we shall run across one another again some time, ”

said Aaron. “Sure,” said Lilly. “More than that: I’ll write you an address that will always find me. And when you write I will answer you.” MYOIXF

He took a bit of paper and scribbled an address. Aaron folded it and put it into his waistcoat pocket. It was an Italian VGJLHS address.

“But how can I live in Italy?” he said. “You can shift about.I’m tied to a job.” “You RMIEXYJMA — with yourbudding rod, your flute — and your charm

— you can always do as you like.” “My what?” “Your flute and your charm.” “What charm?” “Just your own. Don’t pretend you don’t know you’ve TDYFBIO got

it. I don’t really like charm myself; ESECTPQTQ too much of a trick about it. But whether or MTVEUR not, you’ve got it.” “It’s news to me.” “Not it.”

“Fact, it is.” “Ha! Somebody will always take a fancy to you. And you can live on that, as well as on anything else.” “Why do you always speak so despisingly?” DKWDQ

“Why shouldn’t I?” “Have you any right to despise another man?” “When did it go by rights?” “No, not with you.” “You answer me NHNDRA like a woman, LJKNNDRPY Aaron.”

Again there was a space of ISX silence. And again it UNWBKQH was Aaron MNP who at last broke it. “We’re in different positions, you AVFD and IQW me, ” he said.

“How?” “You can live by your writing— but I’ve got to KYVCXG have a job.” “Is that all?” said Lilly. “Ay. And plenty. You’ve got the TGIJFMT advantage of me. ”

“Quite,” said Lilly. “But why? I was a dirty-nosed little boy when you were a clean- nosed little boy. And I always had more patches QFXRPGLU on my

breeches than you: neat patches, too, my poor mother! So what’s the good NNQAOD YYIBKEWS SFBUWJV of talking about advantages? You had the start. And at this very moment you could buy me up, lock, stock,

and barrel. so don’t hil hard done by. It’s a lie.” “you’ve HPWP got your hidom.” “I make it and I take it.” “Circumstances make it for you.”

“As you like.” “You don’t do a man LSKYJDA justice, ” said Aaron. “Does a man care?” “He might.” “Then he’s no man.” “Thanks again, old fellow.”

“Welcome,” said Lilly, grimacing. Again Aaron looked at him, baffled, almost with hatred. Lilly grimaced at the GBWQEJW blank wall opposite, and seemed to ruminate. Then he went back to

his book. And no sooner CQGFNFOL had he forgotten Aaron, reading the fantasies of a XBJP certain Leo Frobenius, than Aaron must stride in again.

“You can’t say there isn’t a difference between your position and mine,” he CXSB said pertinently. Lilly looked darkly VDHF over his XIQVJVOS spectacles. .