He had by this time opened the door, and the sound was partly the effect of the disclosure of a servant preceding a visitor.

His greeting of the visitor before edging past and away was, however, of the briefest; it might have implied that they had met but yesterday.

"How d'ye do, Mitchy ?--At home?
Oh rather!" III Very different was Mrs.Brook's welcome of the restored wanderer to whom, in a brief space, she addressed every expression of surprise and delight, though marking indeed at last, as a qualification of these things, her regret that he declined to partake of her tea or to allow her to make him what she called "snug for a talk" in his customary corner of her sofa.

He pleaded frankly agitation and embarrassment, reminded her even that he was awfully shy and that after separations, complications, whatever might at any time happen, he was conscious of the dust that had settled on intercourse and that he couldn't blow away in a single breath.

She was only, according to her nature, to indulge him if, while he walked about and changed his place, he came to the surface but in patches and pieces.