At the same nick of time the drawing-room door opened and the affianced pair came out.

They were saying they would go into the garden; and he waited a moment while she put on her hat.

My idea was to let them pass on without seeing me, since they seemed not to want my company, but I had got too far on the landing to retreat; he looked up, and stood staring at me--engrossed to a dream-like fixity.

Thereupon I, too, instead of advancing as I ought to have done, stood moonstruck and awkward, and before I could gather my weak senses sufficiently to descend, she had called him, and they went out by the garden door together.

I then thought of following them, but have changed my mind, and come here to jot down these few lines.