"By-the-bye, take care you do not kiss Marian instead," says she.
* * * * * * He meets Margaret on his way downstairs.

He had walked up and down the passages above, in the dim light, with a view to bringing himself back into a state of control, with so much success that, when he comes face to face with Miss Knollys, he seems to her as self-possessed as usual.

He had seen her talking to Tita in the hall below, in a somewhat earnest manner, and had taken it for granted that Tita had told her of their engagement.
"Well," says he, stopping her.
"Well ?" returns she, smiling.
"You have heard ?" "Of what?
Anything new ?" curiously.

The very best women are curious.
"Of my engagement; surely she has told you ?" "She?
Who?
_Marian!"_ "No--_no!"_ Then the truth comes to her.
"Tita ?" she says faintly.
He nods his head; words fail him.
"She told me nothing," says Margaret, recovering herself.
"Yet I saw you talking together just now." "You did indeed." "And she said nothing ?" "Nothing." "Then what _were_ you talking about ?" "I was advising her to marry no man who did not love her." "What an extraordinary piece of advice to give to a girl who, as far as you knew, was not going to be married at all! What led up to it ?" "Not Tita, certainly.

It was I who led up to it." "And why ?" "Do you think I have been blind and deaf, Maurice, during the past fortnight ?" Miss Knollys almost compels his gaze.