Janet met Kendal's eyes instinctively; he was burning red, and his manner was eloquent of his helplessness.

Angry with herself for having waited, so long, Janet joined Elfrida just as the twitter made itself heard, and Mr.Jasper's face began to stiffen with indignation.
"Ah, Miss Cardiff," he said with relief, "how do you do! The rooms are rather warm, don't you think ?" "I want to introduce you to my Am--my very great friend, Miss Bell, Mr.Jasper," Janet said quickly, as the buzz of conversation began again about them.
Elfrida turned to her reproachfully.

"If I had known it was at all possible that you would do _that_," she said, "I might have--waited.

But I did not know." People were still looking at them with curious attentiveness; they were awkwardly solitary.

Kendal in his corner was asking himself how she could have struck such a false note--and of all people Jasper, whose polished work held no trace of his personality, whose pleasure it was to have no public entity whatever.