Everything had disappeared into a soft blackness; only on the water a faint light was left. It came and went; sometimes there was nothing but darkness and the soft air. The small paper lantern swinging at the bow made a little blot of light that was invisible from the stroke seat. The boat went swiftly and easily. Miriam felt she could go on pulling for hours at the top of her strength through the night. Leaning forward, breasting the featureless darkness, sweeping the sculls back at the full reach of her arms, leaning back and pressing her whole weight upwards from the footboard against the pull of the water, her body became an outstretched elastic system of muscles, rhythmically working against the smooth dragging resistance of the dark water. Her sleeves were rolled up, her collar-stud unfastened, her cool drowsy lids drooped over her cool eyes. Each time she leaned backwards against her stroke, pressing the footboard, the weight of her body dragged at a line of soreness where the sculls pressed her hands, and with the final fling of the water from the sculls a little stinging pain ran along the pads of her palms. To-morrow there would be a row of happy blisters. “You needn’t put more beef into it than you like, Mirry.” Gerald’s voice came so quietly out of the darkness that it scarcely disturbed Miriam’s ecstacy. She relaxed her swing, and letting the sculls skim and dip in short easy strokes, sat glowing. “I’ve never pulled a boat alone before.” “It shows you can’t be a blue-stocking, thank the Lord,” laughed Gerald. “Who said I was?” “I’ve always understood you were a very wise lady, my dear.” “Nobody told you she was a blue-stocking, silly. You invented the word yourself.” “I? I invented blue-stocking?” “Yes, you, silly. It’s like your saying women never date their letters just because your cousins don’t.” “Vive la reine. The Lord deliver me from blue-stockings, anyhow.” “All _right_, what _about_ it? There aren’t any here!” “You’re not one, anyhow.” 4 The next day after tea Eve arrived home from Gloucestershire.