THE WINDOW

But she knew quite well that he did not admire
them, or even realise that they were there. It
was only to please her. . . Ah, but was that not
Lily Briscoe strolling along with William Bankes?
She focussed her short-sighted eyes upon the
backs of a retreating couple. Yes, indeed it was.
Did that not mean that they would marry? Yes,
it must! What an admirable idea! They must
marry!

13

He had been to Amsterdam, Mr. Bankes was
saying as he strolled across the lawn with Lily
Briscoe. He had seen the Rembrandts. He
Jiad been to Madrid. Unfortunately, it was
Good Friday and the Prado was shut. He had
been to Rome. Had Miss Briscoe never been

to Rome? Oh, she should------ It would be

a wonderful experience for her—the Sistine
Chapel; Michael Angelo; and Padua, with its
Giottos. His wife had been in bad health for
many years, so that their sight-seeing had been
on a modest scale.

She had been to Brussels; she had been to
Paris, but only for a flying visit to see an aunt who
was ill. She had been to Dresden; there were
masses of pictures she had not seen; however,
Lily Briscoe reflected, perhaps it was better not
H 113