To Curzon it seems as if the whole world has undergone a strange, wild upheaval.

What had she meant--what?
Her words! Her words meant something, but her looks, her eyes, oh, how much more _they_ meant! And yet to listen to her--to believe--he, her guardian, a poor man, and she an heiress! Oh! no.

Impossible.
"So much the worse for the poor men," says he deliberately.
There is no mistaking his meaning.

Perpetua makes a little rapid movement towards him--an almost imperceptible one.

_Did_ she raise her hands as if to hold them out to him?
If so, it is so slight a gesture as scarcely to be remembered afterwards, and at all events the professor takes no notice of it, presumably, therefore, he does not see it.
"It is late," says Perpetua a moment afterwards.