Волны

           Rimmedinagoldcirclethelooking-glassheldthesceneimmobileasifeverlastinginitseye.

           Meanwhiletheshadowslengthenedonthebeach;theblacknessdeepened.Theironblackbootbecameapoolofdeepblue.Therockslosttheirhardness.Thewaterthatstoodroundtheoldboatwasdarkasifmusselshadbeensteepedinit.Thefoamhadturnedlividandlefthereandthereawhitegleamofpearlonthemistysand.

           ’HamptonCourt,’saidBernard.’HamptonCourt.Thisisourmeeting-place.Beholdtheredchimneys,thesquarebattlementsofHamptonCourt.ThetoneofmyvoiceasIsay"HamptonCourt"provesthatIammiddle-aged.Tenyears,fifteenyearsago,Ishouldhavesaid"HamptonCourt?"withinterrogation--whatwillitbelike?Willtherebelakes,mazes?Orwithanticipation,Whatisgoingtohappentomehere?WhomshallImeet?Now,HamptonCourt--HamptonCourt--thewordsbeatagonginthespacewhichIhavesolaboriouslyclearedwithhalfadozentelephonemessagesandpostcards,giveoffringafterringofsound,booming,sonorous:andpicturesrise--summerafternoons,boats,oldladiesholdingtheirskirtsup,oneurninwinter,somedaffodilsinMarch--theseallfloattothetopofthewatersthatnowliedeeponeveryscene.

           ThereatthedoorbytheInn,ourmeeting-place,theyarealreadystanding--Susan,Louis,Rhoda,JinnyandNeville.Theyhavecometogetheralready.Inamoment,whenIhavejoinedthem,anotherarrangementwillform,anotherpattern.Whatnowrunstowaste,formingscenesprofusely,willbechecked,stated.Iamreluctanttosufferthatcompulsion.