«
    »There is nothing more to tell.«
    She bit her lips, as if to compel them to muteness. Her breath came quickly;
she glanced this way and that, like one who sought an escape. After eyeing her
askance for a moment, Peak rose.
    »You are going?« she said.
    »Yes; but surely there is no reason why we shouldn't say good-bye in a
natural and friendly way?«
    »Can you forgive me for that deceit I practised?«
    Peak laughed.
    »What does it matter? We should in any case have met at Budleigh Salterton.«
    »No. I had no serious thought of accepting their invitation.«
    She stood looking away from him, endeavouring to speak as though the denial
had but slight significance. Godwin stirred impatiently.
    »I should never have gone to Twybridge,« Marcella continued, »but for Mr.
Malkin's story.«
    He turned to her.
    »You mean that his story had a disagreeable sound?«
    Marcella kept silence, her fingers working together.
    »And is your mind relieved?« he added.
    »I wish you were back in London. I wish this change had never come to pass.«
    »I wish that several things in my life had never come to pass. But I am
here, and my resolve is unalterable. One thing I must ask you - how shall you
represent my position to your brother?«
    For a moment Marcella hesitated. Then, meeting his look, she answered with
nervous haste:
    »I shall not mention you to him.«
    Ashamed to give any sign of satisfaction, and oppressed by the feeling that
he owed her gratitude, Peak stood gazing towards the windows with an air of
half-indifferent abstractedness. It was better to let the interview end thus,
without comment or further question; so he turned abruptly, and offered his
hand.
    »Good-bye. You will hear of me, or from me.«
    »Good-bye!«
    He tried to smile; but Marcella had a cold face, expressive of more dignity
than she had hitherto shown. As he closed the door she was still looking towards
him.
    He knew what the look meant. In his position, a man of ordinary fibre would
long ago have nursed the flattering conviction that Marcella loved him. Godwin
had suspected it, but in a vague, unemotional way, never attaching importance to
the matter. What he had clearly understood was, that Christian wished to inspire
him with interest in Marcella, and on that account, when
