THE LIGHTHOUSEof mankind, he said. ‘Bootmakers make it their busi-ness,’ he exclaimed, ‘to cripple and torture the humanfoot.’ They are also the most obstinate and perverseof mankind. It had taken him the best part of hisyouth to get boots made as they should be made. Hewould have her observe (he lifted his right foot andthen his left) that she had never seen boots made quitethat shape before. They were made of the finest leatherin the world, also. Most leather was mere brown paperand cardboard. He looked complacently at his foot,still held in the air. They had reached, she felt, asunny island where peace dwelt, sanity reigned andthe sun for ever shone, the blessed island of goodboots. Her heart warmed to him. ‘Now let me see ifyou can tie a knot,’ he said. He poohpoohed her feeblesystem. He showed her his own invention. Once youtied it, it never came undone. Three times he knottedher shoe; three times he unknotted it.
Why, at this completely inappropriate moment,when he was stooping over her shoe, should she be sotormented with sympathy for him that, as she stoopedtoo, the blood rushed to her face, and, thinking of hercallousness (she had called him a play-actor), she felther eyes swell and tingle with tears? Thus occupied heseemed to her a figure of infinite pathos. He tied knots.He bought boots. There was no helping Mr. Ramsayon the journey he was going. But now just as she wishedto say something, could have said something, perhaps,here they were — Cam and James. They appeared onthe terrace. They came, lagging, side by side, a serious,melancholy couple.
But why was it like that that they came? She couldnot help feeling annoyed with them; they might have179
