Page:The Painted Veil - Maugham - 1925.djvu/63

 They sat in silence for an hour. She gave up the pretence of reading, and letting her novel fall on her lap, gazed into space. She was afraid to make the smallest gesture or the smallest sound. He sat quite still, in that same easy attitude, and stared with those wide, immobile eyes of his at the picture. His stillness was strangely menacing. It gave Kitty the feeling of a wild beast prepared to spring.

When suddenly he stood up she started. She clenched her hands and she felt herself grow pale. Now!

“I have some work to do,” he said in that quiet, toneless voice, his eyes averted. “If you don’t mind I’ll go into my study. I daresay you’ll have gone to bed by the time I’ve finished.”

“I am rather tired to-night.”

“Well, good-night.”

“Good-night.”

He left the room.

S soon as she could next morning she rang Townsend up at his office.

“Yes, what is it?”

“I want to see you.”

“My dear, I’m awfully busy. I’m a working man.”

“It’s very important. Can I come down to the office?”