Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 3.djvu/125

 with her hands quietly folded in her lap. At last, when, without remonstrance from her, he had selected the most uncomfortable chair in the room, she replied—

'That's only another name for desperate courage. I put on my bonnet, on the chance, but I didn't expect you.'

'Well, here I am—that's the great thing,' Muniment said, good-humouredly.

'Yes, no doubt it's a very great thing. But it will be a still greater thing when you are there.'

'I am afraid you hope too much,' the young man observed. 'Where is it? I don't think you told me.'

The Princess drew a small folded letter from her pocket, and, without saying anything, held it out to him. He got up to take it from her, opened it, and, as he read it, remained standing in front of her. Then he went straight to the fire and thrust the paper into it. At this movement she rose quickly, as if to save the document, but the expression of his face, as he turned round to her, made her stop. The smile that came into her own was a little forced. 'What are you afraid of?' she asked. 'I take it the house is known. If we go, I suppose we may admit that we go.'

Muniment's face showed that he had been annoyed, but he answered, quietly enough, 'No writing—no writing.'

'You are terribly careful,' said the Princess.

'Careful of you—yes.'

She sank down upon her sofa again, asking her companion to ring for tea; they would do much better to have some before going out. When the order had been given, she remarked, 'I see I shall have much less keen emotion than when I acted by myself.'

'Is that what you go in for—keen emotion?'