Her silence spread about the room, caught him and enveloped
him. That she was calculating how long it would be before she could escape
by that door was absolutely clear, and the frost of her silence struck
down upon him so that he could not gainsay her purpose. He paused
irresolute, glancing askance at her directed eyes. Then he gave in, left
her, opened the door for her. She went out, folded in her own mystery, but
as she went by him he caught up her hand, and kissed the fingers. They
were very cold, and made him shiver.
"Good-night, my dear," he said, all his dash gone out of him.
She said good-night very simply and went away. He looked after her until
she had turned the corridor, then went to the table and poured himself
brandy and soda-water, drank deeply, and set down the tumbler with a
crash. "By God! I am a fool," he told himself.
From the garden that narrow chink of light which shone through Ingram's
shutter was seen to collapse by one who watched it. Shortly afterwards,
that same haunter of the dark saw a shining slit part the shutters of a
window in the west wing, and sighed, short and quick. He returned, to
prowl among the secret flowers.
V
When, after dinner, Mrs.
Pages:
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102