The two parties who were strolling about and losing their unity now
came together, and joined each other in a long stare over the yellow and
green patches of the heated landscape below. The hot air danced across
it, making it impossible to see the roofs of a village on the plain
distinctly. Even on the top of the mountain where a breeze played
lightly, it was very hot, and the heat, the food, the immense space, and
perhaps some less well-defined cause produced a comfortable drowsiness
and a sense of happy relaxation in them. They did not say much, but felt
no constraint in being silent.
"Suppose we go and see what's to be seen over there?" said Arthur to
Susan, and the pair walked off together, their departure certainly
sending some thrill of emotion through the rest.
"An odd lot, aren't they?" said Arthur. "I thought we should never
get 'em all to the top. But I'm glad we came, by Jove! I wouldn't have
missed this for something."
"I don't _like_ Mr. Hirst," said Susan inconsequently. "I suppose he's
very clever, but why should clever people be so--I expect he's awfully
nice, really," she added, instinctively qualifying what might have
seemed an unkind remark.
"Hirst? Oh, he's one of these learned chaps," said Arthur indifferently.
"He don't look as if he enjoyed it. You should hear him talking to
Elliot. It's as much as I can do to follow 'em at all.
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