It is crumbling into dust with dryness." An unnatural laugh, with which she concluded, intensified his uneasiness.
He began a sentence, stopped, and to gain time to recover himself, placed his bicycle in the opposite ditch; a proceeding which she witnessed with impatience, as it indicated his intention to stay and talk.

She, however, was the first to speak; and she did so with a callousness that shocked him.
"Have you heard the news ?" "What news ?" "About Mr.Trefusis and Agatha.

They are engaged." "So Trefusis told me.

I met him just now in the village.

I was very glad to hear it." "Of course." "But I had a special reason for being glad." "Indeed ?" "I was desperately afraid, before he told me the truth, that he had other views--views that might have proved fatal to my dearest hopes." Gertrude frowned at him, and the frown roused him to brave her.