. The plan was, to
take only a preliminary stroll before luncheon, keeping the main roving
expedition for the more exquisite lights of the afternoon. The muster was rapid
enough to save every one from dull moments of waiting, and when the groups began
to scatter themselves through the light and shadow made here by closely
neighbouring beeches and there by rarer oaks, one may suppose that a painter
would have been glad to look on. This roving archery was far prettier than the
stationary game, but success in shooting at variable marks was less favoured by
practice, and the hits were distributed among the volunteer archers otherwise
than they would have been in target-shooting. From this cause perhaps, as well
as from the twofold distraction of being preoccupied and wishing not to betray
her preoccupation, Gwendolen did not greatly distinguish herself in these first
experiments, unless it were by the lively grace with which she took her
comparative failure. She was in her white and green as on the day of the former
archery meeting, when it made an epoch for her that she was introduced to
Grandcourt; he was continually by her side now, yet it would have been hard to
tell from mere looks and manners that their relation to each other had at all
changed since their first conversation. Still there were other grounds that made
most persons conclude them to be, if not engaged already, on the eve of being
so. And she believed this herself. As they were all returning towards Green
Arbour in divergent groups, not thinking at all of taking aim but merely
chattering, words passed which seemed really the beginning of that end - the
beginning of her acceptance. Grandcourt said, »Do you know how long it is since
I first saw you in this dress?«
    »The archery meeting was on the 25th, and this is the 13th,« said Gwendolen,
laughingly. »I am not good at calculating, but I will venture to say that it
must be nearly three weeks.«
    A little pause, and then he said, »That is a great loss of time.«
    »That your knowing me has caused you? Pray don't be uncomplimentary: I don't
like it.«
    Pause again. »It is because of the gain, that I feel the loss.«
    Here Gwendolen herself left a pause. She was thinking, »He is really very
ingenious. He never speaks stupidly.« Her silence was so unusual, that it seemed
the strongest of favourable answers, and he continued -
    »The gain of knowing you makes me feel the time I lose in uncertainty. Do
