"Gobblessmysoul!" cried Sir Peter, "I’ll be godfather!" And all the Walk was delighted, and the leaves of the elm clapped their hands together in the evening breeze. Basil gently disengaged his arm from Barbara’s waist and began playing the slow movement of the Kreutzer Sonata very, very softly. Suddenly, behind the tower of Chiswick Church, up leapt the great full moon, turning the river to molten light, and flooding the Walk with gold. The Admiral and Mrs. Poskett hurried to the Gazebo—but that was full. They turned to the seat under the elm—but that was occupied. "Gobblessmysoul!" said the Admiral. So they had to be content to stand very close together, watching the river. And Sempronius came and rubbed his arched back against the Admiral’s legs. Jim and Nanette looked on from their door-steps in amazement. In his bow-window Doctor Sternroyd was gazing fondly at a faded miniature, while with his other hand he raised a glass of punch on high. "Araminta!" he sighed, and drank to her memory. "Oh, Selina!" exclaimed Mr. Brooke-Hoskyn. In the Gazebo there was a very tender whisper:—"Lucy!" Marjolaine’s head sank on her lover’s shoulder with a happy, "Oh, Jack!" Ruth was showering blossoms of jasmine on Barbara and Basil. There was a great silence, emphasized by the yearning notes of Basil’s fiddle. And through the silence came Ruth’s voice, tender and wistful:— "Ah, well!—I’m sure we all hope they’ll live happily ever after!"— And, for the first time in his life, the Eyesore caught a fish. [Illustration: Chapter XV tailpiece]