hercheekswerepinkandhereyeswereblue，andshewassobeautifullydressedthatyoucouldnottakeindetailsbutmustsimplysurrenderyourselftoacloudyfilmofwhiteorblue，witheverythingsoperfectlyinitsplacethatitseemedtotheroughandreadyJeremyquiteunearthly。Ofcourseshehadtobeverycarefulhowshewalked，whenshesatdown，inwhatwayshemovedherhandsandfeet，andhowsheblewhernose。Itwaswonderfultoseeherdothesethings，shedidthemsonaturallyandyetalwayswithasenseofaneffortovercomeforthegoodofhumanity。Hermotherneverceasedtoemptypraisesatherfeet，appealingtovisitorswith：
　　“Isn’tCharlottetoolovelyto-day？“or“Really，Mrs。Cole，didyoueverseeanythinglikeCharlotte’shair？“or“Justamoment，Mrs。
　　Cole，I’msureyou’veneverseensuchhandsandfeetonanyhumanbeingbefore！“——anditwasimpossibletotellwhetherornoCharlottewasmovedbythesepraises，becausesheneversaidanythingatall。Shewasalmostcompletelysilent，andonce，atthetea-gatheringinCowFarm，whenshesuddenlysaid：“I’mtired，Mama，“Jeremynearlyjumpedfromhischair，soastonishedhewas。
　　Jeremyhad，duringtheyearthatintervenedbetweenthatvisitandthis，sometimesthoughtofCharlotte，andhehadlookedbackuponher，notasalittlegirlbutassomethingstrange，fantastic，wonderfullycoloured，whomitwouldbeinterestingtoseeagain。HewonderedwhyMaryandHelencouldnotbelikethat，insteadofrunningaboutandscreamingandbecomingredintheface。HesaidoncetoMarythatsheshouldimitateCharlotte，andthescenethatfollowedwasterrible。Mary，fromthatmoment，hatedCharlottewithanoverpoweringhatred。
　　Herethisyeartheywereagain。Mrs。LePagewithherlongneck，herbeautifulpearlear-rings，herpalewateryeyesandhertaperingfingers；Charlottejustasbefore，silent，beautifulandprecious。
　　Therewasagainatea-partyatCowFarm，andonthisoccasionJeremywasaskedtoshowHamlet。ButHamletbehavedbadly，tryingtojumpuponCharlotte’swhitefrockandsoilherblueribbons。
　　Charlottescreamedexactlyasadollscreamswhenyoupressitinthestomach，andHamletwassodeeplyastonishedattheunexpectednoisethathestoppedhisbadbehaviour，satonhishindlegs，andgazedupatherwithananxiouswonderingexpression。Inspiteofthisunfortunateincident，thevisitwentoffwell，andMrs。ColesaidthatshehadneverseenanythingsolovelyasCharlotte，andMrs。LePagesaid，“No，hadanyoneever？“andCharlotteneverturnedahair。Thefinalarrangementwasthatthereshouldbeapicnicandsoon，because“Mr。LePagehastoreturntoWarwickshiretolookaftertheEstate——sotiresome，butI’venodoubtit’sallgoingtowrackandruinwithouthim。“
　　AfterthepicnichadbeenarrangedtheColeswere，frankly，alittleuneasy。ThefamilyofLePagewasnottheeasiestintheworldtoentertain，andthethoughtofawholedaywithMr。LePage，whowasaveryblack，verysilentgentlemanandlookedasthoughhewerealwayscountingsumsoverinhishead，wastrulyalarming。Moreover，intheordinaryway，apicnic，whichdependedsoentirelyforitssuccessontheweather，wasnogreatrisk，becausetheColeswereindifferenttorain，asalltrueGlebeshirepeoplemustbe。ButthattheLePagesshouldbewetwasquiteanotheraffair；thethoughtofadrippingMrs。LePagewasintolerable，butofadrippingCharlottequiteimpossible；moreover，theplainbutexcellentfood——pasties，saffroncake，applesandgingerbeer——enjoyedbytheColesseemedquitetooterrestrialfortheLePages。Mrs。LePageandgingerbeer！Charlotteandpasties！……nevertheless，theinvitationhadbeengivenandaccepted。TheColescouldbutanxiouslyinspectthesky……
　　II
　　TherewasanotherreasonwhyJeremylookedforwardtothepicnicwithimpatience。Afunnyoldlady，namedMissHenhouse，wholivednearCowFarminalittlecottageallbyherself，calledsometimesupontheColesandtoldthemstoriesaboutthepeopleandtheplace，whichmadethem“situpintheirchairs。“Shewasanoldladywithsharpeyes，ablackmoustacheandadoublechin，woreanoldshabbybonnet，greymittensandlargeshoeswhichbangedafterherasshewalked。Sheleantonacanewithasilverknobtoit，andsheworeahugecameobroochonherbreastwithaminiatureofherselfinsideit。Shewaswhatiscalledinnovels“acharacter。“TherewasnoonewhoknewsomuchaboutRafielanditsneighbourhood；shehadlivedhereforever，herfatherhadbeenafriendofWellington’sandhadknownmembersofthelocalPressGangintimately。ItwasfromherthatJeremyheard，indetail，thefamousstoryoftheScarletAdmiral。Itwas，ofcourse，inanycase，awell-knownstory，andJeremyhadoftenhearditbefore，butMissHenhousemadeitanew，amostvividandrealisticthing。Shesatforwardinherchair，leaningonhersilver-headedcane，hereyesstaringinfrontofher，hertwochinsbobbing，gazing，gazingasthoughitallhadhappenedbeforeherverynose。
　　HowonenightoutsideRafielCovetherewasaterriblestorm，andonthemorningafterwardsawonderful，smilingcalm，andhowthevillageidiot，outforhisearlymorningstroll，sawasplendidshipridingbeyondtheCove，ashipofgoldwithsailsofsilkandjewelledmasts。Ashewatched，fromtheshipaboatpushedout，andthenlandedonthesandoftheCoveawonderfulcompanyincockedhatsofgoldlace，plushbreechesofred，andshoeswithdiamondbuckles。Theleaderofthemwasalittlemanwithavastcockedhatandasplendidswordallstuddedwithjewels。Thefool，peeringoverthehedge，sawhimgiveorderstohismen，andthenwalk，alone，upthelittlewindingpath，tothecliff-top。Straightupthepathhecame，thenrightpastthefoolhimself，standingatlastupontheturnipfieldofFarmerEde，oneofthegreatestofthefarmersofthoseparts。Andherehewaited，staringouttosea，hisarmscrossed，hiseyesveryfierceandvery，verysad。Thenasecondtimefromthegoldenshipaboatpushedout，cuttingitswaythroughtheglassysea——andtherelandedonthebeachayoungman，verybeautiful，inasuitofblueandgold，andhe，withoutaglanceatthewaitingsailors，alsoslowlyclimbedthesea-path，andatlasthetooreachedFarmerEde’sturnipfield。ThenheandtheScarletAdmiralbowedtooneanother，verybeautifully，verysadly，andvery，veryfiercely。Asthesunrosehighinthesky，asthecowspassedclumsilydownthelanebehindthefieldsothefool，witheyesstaringandheartthumping，sawthesetwofightadueltothedeath。Therecouldbenoquestion，fromthefirst，howitwouldend。
　　Thebeautifulyoungmaninhisfinebluesuitandhiswhitecambricshirthaddespairuponhisface。Heknewthathishourhadcome。AndtheeyesoftheScarletAdmiralwereeversadderandeverfiercer。
　　Then，withasuddenmove，alittleturnofhisagilebody，theScarletAdmiralhadtheyoungmanthroughthebreast。Theyoungmanthrewuphisarmsandcried；andastheScarletAdmiralwithdrewhissword，drippingwithbloodfromhisbody，theyoungmanfellbackwardsoverthecliffintothesea。ThentheScarletAdmiralwipedhisswordonthegrassand，slowlyandsadly，walkeddownthecliff-pathevenashehadwalkedup。Hejoinedhismen，theyfoundtheirboat，pushedouttotheirship，andevenastheylandeduponhershehaddisappeared。AmomentlaterthefoolsawtheparsonofRafielChurchcomingroundthecornerforhismorningbathe，andtwominutesafterwardsnothinghumanwastobeseensavethenakedlimbsoftheparsonandhislittlebundleofblackclotheslyingneatlyuponastone。Thenthefoolranallthewayhometohismotherwhowasawidow，andsatandcriedandcriedforthebeautifulyoungmanwhohadbeenslain，norwouldheeat，nortastetheexcellentRafielbeer，andhepinedaway，andatlasthedied，firsttellingthishistorytohismother，who，likeallwidows，wasagarulouswomanandlovedagoodstory……
　　ImpossibletoimaginewithwhatlifeandfireoldMissHenhousegavethishistory。Youcouldseewithyourowneyesthegoldenship，thediamondbucklesoftheScarletAdmiral，theyoungman’ssadeyes，theparson’sblackclothes。WhenshehadfinisheditseemedtoJeremythatitmusthavebeenjustso。ShetoldhimthatnowonasummermorningoreveningtheScarletAdmiralmightstillbeseen，climbingthecliff-path，wipinghissworduponthegrass，gazingoutwithsadeyestosea。JeremysworetohimselfthatonthenextoccasionofvisitingtheCovehewouldwatch……hewouldwatch-
　　buttonosinglehumanbeingwouldhespeakanythingofthis。
　　Thiswasthesecondreasonwhyhehadlookedforwardsoeagerlytothesea-picnic。
　　III
　　Thedayarrived，anditwasmarvellouslyfine——oneofthosedaysinAugustwhenheatpossessestheworldandholdsittrancedandstill，buthasintheverystrengthofitspossessionsomescentofthedecayandchillofautumnthatistofollowsocloseuponitsheels。
　　Therewasnobreeze，nowindfromthesea，onlyaskyutterlywithoutcloudandaworldwithoutsound。
　　PunctuallyatelevenofthemorningthesplendidLePageequipagearrivedatCowFarm。Splendiditwas！Alargewagonette，withastoutsuperciliousfellowontheboxwhosniffedatthehealthyodoursofthefarmandstaredhaughtilyatMrs。Monkasthoughsheshouldbeashamedtobealive。TheColeshadprovidedasmallplump“jingle“withasmallplumppony，theirregularconveyance；theponywasBob，andhewouldnotgouphillsunlesspersuadedwithsugar，butJeremylovedhimandwouldnothaveriddenbehindanyothersteedinthewholeworld。HowcontemptuouslythebigblackhorsesofthewagonettegazeddowntheirnostrilsatBob，andhowsuperblyMrs。LePage，sittingveryuprightunderherwhitesunshade，greetedMrs。Cole！
　　“DearMrs。Cole。Suchahotmorning，isn’tit？Lovely，ofcourse，butsohot。“
　　“I’mafraid，“Jeremyheardhismothersay，“thatyourcarriagewillnevergetdowntheRafielLane，Mrs。LePage。Wehopedyou’dcomeinthedog-cart。Plentyofroom……“
　　SuperbtowitnessthefashioninwhichMrs。LePagegazedatthedog-cart。
　　“Forallofus？……DearMrs。Cole，Iscarcelythink——AndCharlotte’sfrock……“
　　ThenJeremyturnedhiseyestoCharlotte。Shesatunderaminiaturesunshadeofwhitesilkandlace，avisionofloveliness。Shewasashimmerofwhite，alittlewhitecloudthathadsettledforamomentupontheseatofthecarriagetoallowthesuntodanceuponit，tocaressitwithfingersoffire，sotoseparateitfromtherestoftheworldforeverassomethingtooprecioustobetouched。Jeremyhadneverseenanythingsolovely。
　　Heblushedandscrapedhisbootstheoneagainsttheother。
　　“AndthisisJeremy？“saidMrs。LePageasthoughshesaid：“Andthisiswhereyoukeepyourlittlepigs，Mr。Monk？“
　　“Yes，“saidJeremy，blushing。
　　“Charlotte，youknowJeremy。Youmustbefriends。“
　　“Yes，“saidCharlotte，withoutmoving。ThenJeremytumbledintothesterngazeofMr。LePagewho，arrayedashewasinaverysmartsuitofthewhitestflannels，lookedwithhisblackbeardandfierceblackeyebrowslikeapiratekingdisguised。
　　“Howareyou？“saidMr。LePageinadeepbassvoice。
　　“Verywell，thankyou，“saidJeremy。
　　Totellthetruth，Mrs。Cole’sheartsadlymisgaveherwhenshesawtheLePagefamilyallsittingupsonewandsobrightintheirnewandbrightcarriage。Shethoughtofthesimplepreparationsthathadbeenmade——thepasties，thesaffronbunsandthegingerbeer；shelookedaroundherattheveryplainbutusefulgarmentswornbyherfamily，herhusbandinfadedgreyflanneltrousersandacricketingshirt，HelenandMaryinthesimplestbluecotton，andJeremyinhistwo-year-oldsailorsuit。Shehadintendedtobringtheirbathingthingsinabundle，butnowsheputthemaside。ItwasobviousthattheLePageshadnointentionofbathing。Shesighedandforesawadifficultdayaheadofher。
　　ItwasevidentthattheLePagesdidnotintendtocomeonestepfartherintoCowFarmthanwasnecessary。
　　“DearMrs。Cole，onahotday——howcanyouendurethesmellsofafarm……suchacharmingfarm，too，withallitscowsandpigs，butinthisweather……Charlottedarling，youdon’tfeeltheheat？
　　No？Holdyoursun-shadealittlemoretotheright，love。That’sright。Shewasnotquitethethinglastnight，Mrs。Cole。Ihadsomedoubtsaboutbringingher，butIknewyou’dallbesodisappointed。
　　She’slookingratherlovelyto-day，don’tyouthink？Youmustforgiveamother’spartiality……Oh，you’renotbringingthatlittledog，areyou？Surely——“