We only ask you to our ordinary home-dinner," he added, with a sudden sense of the incongruity between the atmosphere of refined elegance which pervaded Mercy's simple, little room, and the expression which all his efforts had never been able to banish from his mother's parlor.
"Oh thank you, Mr.White.You are very good.

I think we should like to come very much.

Mother and I were just saying that it would be the first Christmas dinner we ever ate alone.

But you must come in, Mr.White,--I insist upon it," replied Mercy, stretching out one hand towards him, as if to draw him in.
Stephen went.

On the threshold of the sitting-room he paused and stood silent for some minutes.