I dreaded the first sight of them.' He was purposely turning it to a jest.

He durst not reply to her in her own mood.

And he saw that she had not understood.
'You have heard of Niagara ?' 'No, Mr.Egremont.Will you tell me about it ?' He made a very brief pause, and she noticed it with fear.

Did he despise her ignorance, or did he think her troublesome?
Yet he began to explain, and was soon speaking much more freely, almost as he had spoken that evening in the Grails' room, when he told of his sea-experiences.
He ended somewhat abruptly, and went to the shelves with books.

Thyrza rose and followed him.