“Whatisadahabeeyah，Charles？“thedistinctvoiceofawidow，seatedinanarm-chairbythewindow，askedherson。
Itwastheendofthepiece，andhisanswerwaslostinthegeneralclearingofthroatsandtappingofknees。
“They’realloldinthisroom，“Rachelwhispered。
Creepingon，theyfoundthatthenextwindowrevealedtwomeninshirt-sleevesplayingbilliardswithtwoyoungladies。
“Hepinchedmyarm！“theplumpyoungwomancried，asshemissedherstroke。
“Nowyoutwo——noragging，“theyoungmanwiththeredfacereprovedthem，whowasmarking。
“Takecareorweshallbeseen，“whisperedHelen，pluckingRachelbythearm。Incautiouslyherheadhadrisentothemiddleofthewindow。
Turningthecornertheycametothelargestroominthehotel，whichwassuppliedwithfourwindows，andwascalledtheLounge，althoughitwasreallyahall。Hungwitharmourandnativeembroideries，furnishedwithdivansandscreens，whichshutoffconvenientcorners，theroomwaslessformalthantheothers，andwasevidentlythehauntofyouth。SignorRodriguez，whomtheyknewtobethemanagerofthehotel，stoodquiteneartheminthedoorwaysurveyingthescene——thegentlemenlounginginchairs，thecouplesleaningovercoffee-cups，thegameofcardsinthecentreunderprofuseclustersofelectriclight。Hewascongratulatinghimselfupontheenterprisewhichhadturnedtherefectory，acoldstoneroomwithpotsontrestles，intothemostcomfortableroominthehouse。
Thehotelwasveryfull，andprovedhiswisdomindecreeingthatnohotelcanflourishwithoutalounge。
Thepeoplewerescatteredaboutincouplesorpartiesoffour，andeithertheywereactuallybetteracquainted，ortheinformalroommadetheirmannerseasier。Throughtheopenwindowcameanunevenhummingsoundlikethatwhichrisesfromaflockofsheeppentwithinhurdlesatdusk。Thecard-partyoccupiedthecentreoftheforeground。
HelenandRachelwatchedthemplayforsomeminuteswithoutbeingabletodistinguishaword。Helenwasobservingoneofthemenintently。
Hewasalean，somewhatcadaverousmanofaboutherownage，whoseprofilewasturnedtothem，andhewasthepartnerofahighly-colouredgirl，obviouslyEnglishbybirth。
Suddenly，inthestrangewayinwhichsomewordsdetachthemselvesfromtherest，theyheardhimsayquitedistinctly:——
“Allyouwantispractice，MissWarrington；courageandpractice——
one’snogoodwithouttheother。“
“HughlingElliot！Ofcourse！“Helenexclaimed。Sheduckedherheadimmediately，foratthesoundofhisnamehelookedup。
Thegamewentonforafewminutes，andwasthenbrokenupbytheapproachofawheeledchair，containingavoluminousoldladywhopausedbythetableandsaid:——
“Betterluckto-night，Susan？“
“Alltheluck’sonourside，“saidayoungmanwhountilnowhadkepthisbackturnedtothewindow。Heappearedtoberatherstout，andhadathickcropofhair。
“Luck，Mr。Hewet？“saidhispartner，amiddle-agedladywithspectacles。
“Iassureyou，Mrs。Paley，oursuccessisduesolelytoourbrilliantplay。“
“UnlessIgotobedearlyIgetpracticallynosleepatall，“
Mrs。Paleywasheardtoexplain，asiftojustifyherseizureofSusan，whogotupandproceededtowheelthechairtothedoor。
“They’llgetsomeoneelsetotakemyplace，“shesaidcheerfully。
Butshewaswrong。Noattemptwasmadetofindanotherplayer，andaftertheyoungmanhadbuiltthreestoriesofacard-house，whichfelldown，theplayersstrolledoffindifferentdirections。
Mr。Hewetturnedhisfullfacetowardsthewindow。Theycouldseethathehadlargeeyesobscuredbyglasses；hiscomplexionwasrosy，hislipsclean-shaven；and，seenamongordinarypeople，itappearedtobeaninterestingface。Hecamestraighttowardsthem，buthiseyeswerefixednotupontheeavesdroppersbutuponaspotwherethecurtainhunginfolds。
“Asleep？“hesaid。
HelenandRachelstartedtothinkthatsomeonehadbeensittingneartothemunobservedallthetime。Therewerelegsintheshadow。
Amelancholyvoiceissuedfromabovethem。
“Twowomen，“itsaid。
Ascufflingwasheardonthegravel。Thewomenhadfled。Theydidnotstoprunninguntiltheyfeltcertainthatnoeyecouldpenetratethedarknessandthehotelwasonlyasquareshadowinthedistance，withredholesregularlycutinit。
Anhourpassed，andthedownstairsroomsatthehotelgrewdimandwerealmostdeserted，whilethelittlebox-likesquaresabovethemwerebrilliantlyirradiated。Somefortyorfiftypeopleweregoingtobed。Thethumpofjugssetdownonthefloorabovecouldbeheardandtheclinkofchina，fortherewasnotasthickapartitionbetweentheroomsasonemightwish，soMissAllan，theelderlyladywhohadbeenplayingbridge，determined，givingthewallasmartrapwithherknuckles。Itwasonlymatchboard，shedecided，runuptomakemanylittleroomsofonelargeone。
Hergreypetticoatsslippedtotheground，and，stooping，shefoldedherclotheswithneat，ifnotlovingfingers，screwedherhairintoaplait，woundherfather’sgreatgoldwatch，andopenedthecompleteworksofWordsworth。Shewasreadingthe“Prelude，“partlybecauseshealwaysreadthe“Prelude“abroad，andpartlybecauseshewasengagedinwritingashort_Primer__of__English__Literature_——_Beowulf_
_to__Swinburne_——whichwouldhaveaparagraphonWordsworth。
Shewasdeepinthefifthbook，stoppingindeedtopencilanote，whenapairofbootsdropped，oneafteranother，ontheflooraboveher。Shelookedupandspeculated。Whosebootswerethey，shewondered。Shethenbecameawareofaswishingsoundnextdoor——
awoman，clearly，puttingawayherdress。Itwassucceededbyagentletappingsound，suchasthatwhichaccompanieshair-dressing。Itwasverydifficulttokeepherattentionfixeduponthe“Prelude。“
WasitSusanWarringtontapping？Sheforcedherself，however，toreadtotheendofthebook，whensheplacedamarkbetweenthepages，sighedcontentedly，andthenturnedoutthelight。
Verydifferentwastheroomthroughthewall，thoughaslikeinshapeasoneegg-boxislikeanother。AsMissAllanreadherbook，SusanWarringtonwasbrushingherhair。Ageshaveconsecratedthishour，andthemostmajesticofalldomesticactions，totalkoflovebetweenwomen；butMissWarringtonbeingalonecouldnottalk；
shecouldonlylookwithextremesolicitudeatherownfaceintheglass。Sheturnedherheadfromsidetoside，tossingheavylocksnowthiswaynowthat；andthenwithdrewapaceortwo，andconsideredherselfseriously。
“I’mnice-looking，“shedetermined。“Notpretty——possibly，“shedrewherselfupalittle。“Yes——mostpeoplewouldsayIwashandsome。“
ShewasreallywonderingwhatArthurVenningwouldsayshewas。
Herfeelingabouthimwasdecidedlyqueer。Shewouldnotadmittoherselfthatshewasinlovewithhimorthatshewantedtomarryhim，yetshespenteveryminutewhenshewasaloneinwonderingwhathethoughtofher，andincomparingwhattheyhaddoneto-daywithwhattheyhaddonethedaybefore。
“Hedidn’taskmetoplay，buthecertainlyfollowedmeintothehall，“
shemeditated，summinguptheevening。Shewasthirtyyearsofage，andowingtothenumberofhersistersandtheseclusionoflifeinacountryparsonagehadasyethadnoproposalofmarriage。
Thehourofconfidenceswasoftenasadone，andshehadbeenknowntojumpintobed，treatingherhairunkindly，feelingherselfoverlookedbylifeincomparisonwithothers。Shewasabig，well-madewoman，theredlyinguponhercheeksinpatchesthatweretoowelldefined，butherseriousanxietygaveherakindofbeauty。
Shewasjustabouttopullbackthebed-clotheswhensheexclaimed，“Oh，butI’mforgetting，“andwenttoherwriting-table。A
brownvolumelaytherestampedwiththefigureoftheyear。
Sheproceededtowriteinthesquareuglyhandofamaturechild，asshewrotedailyyearafteryear，keepingthediaries，thoughsheseldomlookedatthem。
“A。M——TalkedtoMrs。H。Elliotaboutcountryneighbours。SheknowstheManns；alsotheSelby-Carroways。Howsmalltheworldis！
Likeher。Readachapterof_Miss__Appleby’s__Adventure_toAuntE。P。M——Playedlawn-tenniswithMr。PerrottandEvelynM。Don’t_like_Mr。P。Haveafeelingthatheisnot’quite，’thoughclevercertainly。Beatthem。Daysplendid，viewwonderful。
Onegetsusedtonotrees，thoughmuchtoobareatfirst。
Cardsafterdinner。AuntE。cheerful，thoughtwingy，shesays。
Mem。:_ask__about__damp__sheets_。“
Shekneltinprayer，andthenlaydowninbed，tuckingtheblanketscomfortablyabouther，andinafewminutesherbreathingshowedthatshewasasleep。Withitsprofoundlypeacefulsighsandhesitationsitresembledthatofacowstandinguptoitskneesallnightthroughinthelonggrass。
Aglanceintothenextroomrevealedlittlemorethananose，prominentabovethesheets。Growingaccustomedtothedarkness，forthewindowswereopenandshowedgreysquareswithsplintersofstarlight，onecoulddistinguishaleanform，terriblylikethebodyofadeadperson，thebodyindeedofWilliamPepper，asleeptoo。Thirty-six，thirty-seven，thirty-eight——herewerethreePortuguesemenofbusiness，asleeppresumably，sinceasnorecamewiththeregularityofagreattickingclock。Thirty-ninewasacornerroom，attheendofthepassage，butlatethoughitwas——“One“
struckgentlydownstairs——alineoflightunderthedoorshowedthatsomeonewasstillawake。
“Howlateyouare，Hugh！“awoman，lyinginbed，saidinapeevishbutsolicitousvoice。Herhusbandwasbrushinghisteeth，andforsomemomentsdidnotanswer。
“Youshouldhavegonetosleep，“hereplied。“IwastalkingtoThornbury。“
“ButyouknowthatInevercansleepwhenI’mwaitingforyou，“
shesaid。
Tothathemadenoanswer，butonlyremarked，“Wellthen，we’llturnoutthelight。“Theyweresilent。
Thefaintbutpenetratingpulseofanelectricbellcouldnowbeheardinthecorridor。OldMrs。Paley，havingwokenhungrybutwithoutherspectacles，wassummoninghermaidtofindthebiscuit-box。Themaidhavingansweredthebell，drearilyrespectfulevenatthishourthoughmuffledinamackintosh，thepassagewasleftinsilence。
Downstairsallwasemptyanddark；butontheupperflooralightstillburntintheroomwherethebootshaddroppedsoheavilyaboveMissAllan’shead。Herewasthegentlemanwho，afewhourspreviously，intheshadeofthecurtain，hadseemedtoconsistentirelyoflegs。
Deepinanarm-chairhewasreadingthethirdvolumeofGibbon’s_History__of__the__Decline__and__Fall__of__Rome_bycandle-light。
Ashereadheknockedtheashautomatically，nowandagain，fromhiscigaretteandturnedthepage，whileawholeprocessionofsplendidsentencesenteredhiscapaciousbrowandwentmarchingthroughhisbraininorder。Itseemedlikelythatthisprocessmightcontinueforanhourormore，untiltheentireregimenthadshifteditsquarters，hadnotthedooropened，andtheyoungman，whowasinclinedtobestout，comeinwithlargenakedfeet。
“Oh，Hirst，whatIforgottosaywas——“
“Twominutes，“saidHirst，raisinghisfinger。
Hesafelystowedawaythelastwordsoftheparagraph。
“Whatwasityouforgottosay？“heasked。
“D’youthinkyou_do_makeenoughallowanceforfeelings？“
askedMr。Hewet。Hehadagainforgottenwhathehadmeanttosay。
AfterintensecontemplationoftheimmaculateGibbonMr。Hirstsmiledatthequestionofhisfriend。Helaidasidehisbookandconsidered。
“Ishouldcallyoursasingularlyuntidymind，“heobserved。
“Feelings？Aren’ttheyjustwhatwedoallowfor？Weputloveupthere，andalltherestsomewheredownbelow。“Withhislefthandheindicatedthetopofapyramid，andwithhisrightthebase。
