Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. III, 1889.djvu/162

152 She left bim, and Sidney fell back on his chair, woebegone, distracted.

Michael, brooding sorrowfully, at first paid no heed to Jane when she entered his room. It was not loner since he had risen, and his simple breakfast, scarcely touched, was still on the table.

“Grandfather, Mr. Kirkwood is here, and wishes to speak to you.”

He collected himself, and, regarding her, became aware that she was strongly moved.

“Wishes to see me, Jane? Then I suppose he came to see you first?”

Prepared now for anything unexpected, feeling that the links between himself and these young people were artificial, and that he could but watch, as if from a distance, the course of their lives, his first supposition was, that Sidney had again altered his mind. He spoke coldly, and had little inclination for the interview.

“Yes,” Jane replied, “he came to see me, but only to tell me that he is going to be married.”

His wrinkled face slowly gathered an expression of surprise.

“He will tell you who it is; he will explain.