"You know everybody, don't you ?" "How do you do ?" said Sir Charles, offering his hand as a severe expression of his duty to his wife's guest, who took it cordially, nodded to Erskine, looked without recognition at Gertrude, whose frosty stillness repudiated Lady Brandon's implication that the stranger was acquainted with her, and turned to Agatha, to whom he bowed.

She made no sign; she was paralyzed.

Lady Brandon reddened with anger.

Sir Charles noted his guest's reception with secret satisfaction, but shared the embarrassment which oppressed all present except Trefusis, who seemed quite indifferent and assured, and unconsciously produced an impression that the others had not been equal to the occasion, as indeed they had not.
"We were looking at some etchings when you came in," said Sir Charles, hastening to break the silence.

"Do you care for such things ?" And he handed him a proof.
Trefusis looked at it as if he had never seen such a thing before and did not quite know what to make of it.