'I forget the town.' A summons to dinner broke off the conversation.

Moxey offered his arm to the one lady present as guest, and Earwaker did the same courtesy to the hostess.

Mr.Morton, a meditative young man who had been listening with a smile of indifference, sauntered along in the rear with Godwin Peak.
At the dinner-table Peak was taciturn, and seemed to be musing on a disagreeable subject.

To remarks, he answered briefly and absently.

As Moxey, Earwaker, and Mrs.Morton kept up lively general talk, this muteness was not much noticed, but when the ladies had left the room, and Peak still frowned over his wineglass, the journalist rebuked him.
'What's the matter with you?
Don't depress us.' The other laughed impatiently, and emptied his glass.
'Malkin has come back,' pursued Earwaker.