"I must have groaned pretty loudly." His self-contempt was evident.
There was a pause, then he said: "You are the girl who lives opposite ?" A flicker of irritation and impatience shone in his eyes.

"Why do you interfere?
It is no business of yours!" "Yes, it is," she said, and there was something like a note of anger in her voice; for it seemed to her that he was extremely ungrateful.

"It is the duty of anyone to prevent a man making--a--a fool of himself.

You ought to be ashamed." Unwittingly, she had used the right tone.

He leant back in the chair and stared at her with a mixture of resentment and amusement.
"You have plenty of confidence, anyhow, young lady," he said.
"And you have none," retorted Celia, with a dash of colour.