Formerly he had now and then tried his best to find some common subject for talk with her, but the effort had been vain; she was hopelessly stupid, and more often than not in a surly mood, which made her mere presence difficult to be endured.

Of late, whenever he came, she made her illness an excuse for remaining in her bed-room.

And hence arose another trouble.

The two rooms were only divided by folding doors, and when Harriet got impatient with what she conceived to be the visitor's undue stay, she would rap on the doors, to summon Julian to her.

This rapping would take place sometimes six or seven times in half an hour, till Waymark hastened away in annoyance.