; old John, in his agitation, ingeniously lighting everything
but the way, and making a stumble at every second step.
    »Stop!« he said, when they reached the landing. »I can announce myself.
Don't wait.«
    He laid his hand upon the door, entered, and shut it heavily. Mr. Willet was
by no means disposed to stand there listening by himself, especially as the
walls were very thick; so descended, with much greater alacrity than he had come
up, and joined his friends below.
 

                                  Chapter XII

There was a brief pause in the state-room of the Maypole, as Mr. Haredale tried
the lock to satisfy himself that he had shut the door securely, and, striding up
the dark chamber to where the screen inclosed a little patch of light and
warmth, presented himself, abruptly and in silence, before the smiling guest.
    If the two had no greater sympathy in their inward thoughts than in their
outward bearing and appearance, the meeting did not seem likely to prove a very
calm or pleasant one. With no great disparity between them in point of years,
they were, in every other respect, as unlike and far removed from each other as
two men could well be. The one was soft-spoken, delicately made, precise, and
elegant; the other, a burly square-built man, negligently dressed, rough and
abrupt in manner, stern, and, in his present mood, forbidding both in look and
speech. The one preserved a calm and placid smile; the other, a distrustful
frown. The new-comer, indeed, appeared bent on showing by his every tone and
gesture his determined opposition and hostility to the man he had come to meet.
The guest who received him, on the other hand, seemed to feel that the contrast
between them was all in his favour, and to derive a quiet exultation from it
which put him more at his ease than ever.
    »Haredale,« said this gentleman, without the least appearance of
embarrassment or reserve, »I am very glad to see you.«
    »Let us dispense with compliments. They are misplaced between us,« returned
the other, waving his hand, »and say plainly what we have to say. You have asked
me to meet you. I am here. Why do we stand face to face again?«
    »Still the same frank and sturdy character, I see!«
    »Good or bad, sir, I am,« returned the other, leaning his arm upon the
chimney-piece, and
