The fabric of the sofa-bed had been nibbled by mice or rats.
I could see the jagged holes, and the frayed edges.
It was damp in the cottage, damp and chill.
Dark, and oppressive.
I did not like it.
I had no wish to stay there.
I hated the hollow sound of the rain pattering on the roof.
It seemed to echo in the room itself, and I heard the water dripping too into the rusted grate.
I looked about me for some string. There was nothing that would serve my purpose, nothing at all.
There was another door at the end of the room, and I went to it, and opened it, a little fearful now, a little afraid, for I had the odd, uneasy feeling that I might come upon something unawares, that I had no wish to see.
Something that might harm me, that might be horrible.
It was nonsense of course, and I opened the door.
It was only a boat store after all.
Here were the ropes and blocks I had expected, two or three sails, fenders, a small punt, pots of paints, all the litter and junk that goes with the using of boats.
A ball of twine lay on a shelf, a rusted clasp knife beside it.
This would be all I needed for Jasper.
I opened the knife, and cut a length of twine, and came back into the room again.
The rain still fell upon the roof, and into the grate.
I came out of the cottage hurriedly, not looking behind me, trying not to see the torn sofa and the mildewed china, the spun cobwebs on the model ships, and so through the creaking gate and on to the white beach.
The man was not digging any more; he was watching me, Jasper at his side.
'Come along, Jasper,' I said; 'come on, good dog.'
I bent down and this time he allowed me to touch him and pull hold of his collar.
'I found some string in the cottage,' I said to the man.
He did not answer, and I tied the string loosely round Jasper's collar.
'Good afternoon,' I said, tugging at Jasper."
The man nodded, staring at me with his narrow idiot's eyes.
'I saw'ee go in yonder,' he said.
'Yes,' I said; 'it's all right, Mr de Winter won't mind.'
'She don't go in there now,' he said.
'No,' I said, 'not now.'
'She's gone in the sea, ain't she?' he said; 'she won't come back no more?'
'No,' I said, 'she'll not come back.'
'I never said nothing, did I?' he said.
'No, of course not; don't worry,' I said.
He bent down again to his digging, muttering to himself.
I went across the shingle and I saw Maxim waiting for me by the rocks, his hands in his pockets.
'I'm sorry,' I said.
'Jasper would not come.
I had to get some string.'
He turned abruptly on his heel, and made towards the woods.
'Aren't we going back over the rocks?' I said.
'What's the point? We're here now,' he said briefly.
We went up past the cottage and struck into a path through the woods.
'I'm sorry I was such a time; it was Jasper's fault,' I said, 'he kept barking at the man.
Who was he?'
'Only Ben,' said Maxim; 'he's quite harmless, poor devil.
His old father used to be one of the keepers; they live near the home farm.
Where did you get that piece of twine?'
'I found it in the cottage on the beach,' I said.
'Was the door open?' he asked.