Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. III, 1889.djvu/120

110 thinking in the silence that followed. Which silence having been broken by a tap at the door, oddly enough there stood Joseph himself. Hewett, taken by surprise, showed embarrassment and awkwardness; it was always hard for him to reconcile his present subordination to Mr. Snowdon with the familiar terms on which they had been not long ago.

“Ah, you here, Hewett!” exclaimed Joseph, in a genial tone, designed to put the other at his ease. “I just wanted a word with our friend. Never mind; some other time.”

For all that, he did not seem disposed to withdraw, but stood with a hand on the door, smiling. Sidney, having nodded to him, walked the length of the room, his head bent and his hands behind him.

“Suppose I look in a bit later,” said Hewett. “Or to-morrow night, Sidney?"

“Very well, to-morrow night.”

John took his leave, and on the visitor who remained Sidney turned a face almost of anger. Mr. Snowdon seated himself, supremely indifferent to the inconvenience he had probably caused. He seemed in excellent humour.

“Decent fellow, Hewett,” he observed,