Book First I 's first question , when reached , was about ; yet on learning that was apparently not to arrive till evening was not wholly disconcerted .
A telegram from bespeaking " only if not noisy , " reply paid , was produced for at , so that the understanding should meet at rather than at remained to that extent sound .
The same secret principle , however , that had prompted not absolutely to desire 's presence at , that had led thus to postpone for a few hours enjoyment of it , now operated to make feel could still wait without disappointment .
would dine together at the worst , and , with all respect to dear old -- if not even , for that matter , to -- there was little fear that in the sequel should n't see enough of each other .
The principle have just mentioned as operating had been , with , wholly instinctive -- the fruit of a sharp sense that , delightful as it would be to find looking , after so much separation , into 's face , business would be a trifle bungled should simply arrange for this countenance to present itself to as the first " note , " of .
Mixed with everything was the apprehension , already , on 's part , that it would , at best , throughout , prove the note of in quite a sufficient degree .
That note had been meanwhile -- since the previous afternoon , thanks to this happier device -- such a consciousness of personal freedom as had n't known for years ; such a deep taste of change and of having above all for the moment and nothing to consider , as promised already , if headlong hope were not too foolish , to colour adventure with cool success .
There were -- so far as ease could up to now be imputed to -- and who for the most part plunged straight into the current that set from to ; there were ; but had stolen away from alike , had kept no appointment and renewed no acquaintance , had been indifferently aware of the number of and had even independently , unsociably , alone , without encounter or relapse and by mere quiet evasion , given afternoon and evening to the immediate and the sensible .
formed a qualified draught of , an afternoon and an evening on the banks of the , but such as it was took potion at least undiluted .
winced a little , truly , at the thought that might be already at ; reflected that , should have to describe there as having " got in " so early , it would be difficult to make the interval look particularly eager ; but was like .
That was prepared to be vague to about the hour of 's touching , and that both wanted extremely to see and enjoyed extremely the duration of delay -- these things , it is to be conceived , were early signs in that relation to actual errand might prove none of the simplest .
was burdened , poor -- it had better be confessed at the outset -- with the oddity of a double consciousness .
There was detachment in zeal and curiosity in indifference .
After had held up to across counter the pale-pink leaflet bearing 's name , which neatly pronounced , turned away to find , in , facing .
For a moment stood confronted ; then the moment placed : had noticed the day before , noticed at , where -- again in -- had been briefly engaged with .
Nothing had actually passed between , and would as little have been able to say what had been the sign of face for on the first occasion as to name the ground of present recognition .
Recognition at any rate appeared to prevail on own side as well -- which would only have added to the mystery .
All now began by saying to nevertheless was that , having chanced to catch enquiry , was moved to ask , by leave , if it were possibly a question of -- .
" Oh yes , " replied , " .
's to meet here , coming up from , and supposed 'd already have arrived .
But does n't come till later , and 'm relieved not to have kept .
Do know ? "
wound up .
It was n't till after had spoken that became aware of how much there had been in of response ; when the tone of own rejoinder , as well as the play of something more in face -- something more , that is , than its apparently usual restless light -- seemed to notify .
" 've met at -- where used sometimes , a good while ago , to stay ; had , and 've been at .
wo n't answer for it that would know , " pursued ; " but should be delighted to see .
Perhaps , " added , " shall -- for 'm staying over . "
paused while took in these things , and it was as if a good deal of talk had already passed .
even vaguely smiled at it , and presently observed that would , no doubt , be easily to be seen .
This , however , appeared to affect as if might have advanced too far .
appeared to have no reserves about anything .
" Oh , " said , " wo n't care ! "
-- and immediately thereupon remarked that believed knew ; being .
But did n't , it happened , know well enough to give the case much of a lift ; so that were left together as if over the mere laid table of conversation .
qualification of the mentioned connexion had rather removed than placed a dish , and there seemed nothing else to serve .
attitude remained , none the less , that of not forsaking the board ; and the effect of this in turn was to give the appearance of having accepted each other with an absence of preliminaries practically complete .
moved along together , and threw off that had the advantage of .
was aware by this time of strange inconsequence : had shirked the intimacies of and had muffled the shock of only to find forsaken , in this sudden case , both of avoidance and of caution .
passed , under this unsought protection and before had so much as gone up to , into , and at the end of ten minutes had agreed to meet again , as soon as should have made tidy , .
wanted to look at , and would forthwith look together .
It was almost as if had been in possession and received as .
acquaintance with presented in a manner as , and had a rueful glance for .
It was as if had seen instantly superseded .
When in a quarter of an hour came down , what saw , what might have taken in with a vision kindly adjusted , was the lean , the slightly loose figure of -- .
A perpetual pair of glasses astride of this fine ridge , and a line , unusually deep and drawn , the prolonged pen-stroke of time , accompanying the curve of the moustache from nostril to chin , did something to complete the facial furniture that would have seen catalogued , on the spot , in the vision of the other party to 's appointment .
waited for in , the other party , drawing on a pair of singularly fresh soft and elastic light gloves and presenting with a superficial readiness which , as approached over and in the watery English sunshine , might , with rougher preparation , have marked as the model for such an occasion .
had , , a perfect plain propriety , an expensive subdued suitability , that was not free to analyse , but that struck , so that consciousness of it was instantly acute , as a quality quite new to .
Before reaching stopped on the grass and went through the form of feeling for something , possibly forgotten , in the light overcoat carried on arm ; yet the essence of the act was no more than the impulse to gain time .
Nothing could have been odder than 's sense of as at that moment launched in something of which the sense would be quite disconnected from the sense of past and which was literally beginning there and then .
It had begun in fact already and before the dressing glass that struck as blocking further , so strangely , the dimness of the window of ; begun with a sharper survey of the elements of Appearance than had for a long time been moved to make .
had during those moments felt these elements to be not so much to hand as should have liked , and then had fallen back on the thought that they were precisely a matter as to which help was supposed to come from what was about to do .
was about to go up to , so that hat and necktie might wait .
What had come as straight to as a ball in a well-played game -- and caught moreover not less neatly -- was just the air , in , of having seen and chosen , the air of achieved possession of those vague qualities and quantities that collectively figured to as the advantage snatched from lucky chances .
Without pomp or circumstance , certainly , as original address to , equally with own response , had been , would have sketched to impression of as : " Well , 's more thoroughly civilized -- ! "
If " More thoroughly than WHOM ? "
would not have been for a sequel to this remark , that was just by reason of deep consciousness of the bearing of comparison .