They were both above the average height, so they looked at one another over the heads of many people, and in both their faces was something of the same expression--the faint interest born of a relieved monotony.

The girl deliberately turned towards him.

He was an unknown guest and alone.
There were times when her duties came quite easily.
"I am afraid that you are not amusing yourself," she remarked, with some faint yet kindly note of condescension in her tone.
"You are very kind," he answered, his eyebrows slightly lifted.

"I certainly am not.

But then I did not come here to amuse myself." "Indeed?
A sense of duty brought you, perhaps ?" "A sense of duty, beyond a doubt," the man assented politely.
She felt like passing on--but she also felt like staying, so she stayed.
"Cannot I help you towards the further accomplishment of your duty, then ?" she enquired.
He looked at her and the grim severity of his face was lightened by a smile.
"You could help me more easily to forget it," he replied.
She opened her lips, hesitated and closed them again.