The expression of pain and embarrassment had passed out of her face, and it was illuminated with something which, this time at least, Newman need not have been perplexed whether to attribute to habit or to intention, to art or to nature.

She had the air of a woman who has stepped across the frontier of friendship and, looking around her, finds the region vast.

A certain checked and controlled exaltation seemed mingled with the usual level radiance of her glance.

"I will not refuse to see you again," she said, "because much of what you have said has given me pleasure.

But I will see you only on this condition: that you say nothing more in the same way for a long time." "For how long ?" "For six months.