Don't be impatient--it is entirely a matter of business." All the time he was acutely conscious of that restless desire to get out of the room.

The woman's white arms, from which the sleeves of her blue gown had fallen back, were stretched towards him as she lazily turned over her pile of correspondence.

They were very beautiful arms and Tavernake, although he had had no experience, was dimly aware of the fact.

Her eyes, too, seemed always to be trying to reach some part of him which was dead, or as yet unborn.

He could feel her striving to get there, beating against the walls of his indifference.