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           NotawordabouthispresenceinAustraliahadreachedthepress,sonooneonDroghedahadtheremotestsuspicionhewascoming.Whenthecarpulledintothegravellyareaatonesideofthehousetherewasnooneabout,andapparentlynoonehadheardhimarrive,fornoonecameoutontotheveranda.

           HehadfeltthemilesfromGillyineverycellofhisbody,inhaledtheodorsofthebush,thesheep,thedrygrasssparklingrestlesslyinthesun.Kangaroosandemus,galahsandgoannas,millionsofinsectsbuzzingandflipping,antsmarchingacrosstheroadintreaclycolumns,fatpudgysheepeverywhere.Heloveditso,forinonecuriousaspectitconformedtowhathelovedinallthings;thepassingyearsscarcelyseemedtobrushit.

           Onlytheflyscreeningwasdifferent,buthenotedwithamusementthatFeehadn’tpermittedthebighouseverandafacingtheGillyroadtobeenclosedliketherest,onlythewindowsopeningontoit.Shewasright,ofcourse;agreatexpanseofmeshwouldhaveruinedthelinesofthatlovelyGeorgianfacade.Howlongdidghostgumslive?ThesemusthavebeentransplantedfromtheDeadHeartinterioreightyyearsago.Thebougainvillaeaintheirhighbrancheswasoneslidingmassofcopperandpurple.

           Itwasalreadysummer,twoweeksleftbeforeChristmas,andtheDroghedaroseswereattheirheight.Therewereroseseverywhere,pinkandwhiteandyellow,crimsonlikeheart’sblood,scarletlikeacardinal’ssoutane.