Page:Gissing - The Emancipated, vol. I, 1890.djvu/122

114 Miriam glanced at the address, and at once stood up, only her pale face witnessing to the lack of energy of a moment ago.

"Is he waiting?"

"Yes, ma'am."

The note was of two or three lines: "Will you let me see you? Of course I mean alone. It's a long time since we saw each other.—R. E."

"I will see him in this room."

The footstep of the maid as she came back along the tiled corridor was accompanied by one much heavier. Miriam kept her eyes turned to the door; her look was of pained expectancy and of sternness. She stood close by the window, as if purposely drawing as far away as possible. The visitor was introduced, and the door closed behind him.

He too stood still, as far from Miriam as might be. His age seemed to be seven or eight and twenty, and the cast of his features so strongly resembled Miriam's that there was no doubt of his being her