He mentioned one or two world-echoed names, and spoke in particular of a concert shortly to be given, at which such singers would be heard.

‘You have heard them?’ Thyrza asked, gazing at him.

‘Several times.’

‘I should be almost afraid.’

He thought it a wonderful word to come from this untaught girl.  Again their eyes met.  He laughed.

’Something like my own feeling when I got out at Niagara Station, and began to walk towards the Falls.  I dreaded the first sight of them.’

He was purposely turning it to a jest.  He durst not reply to her in her own mood.  And he saw that she had not understood.

‘You have heard of Niagara?’

‘No, Mr. Egremont.  Will you tell me about it?’

He made a very brief pause, and she noticed it with fear.  Did he despise her ignorance, or did he think her troublesome?  Yet he began to explain, and was soon speaking much more freely, almost as he had spoken that evening in the Grails’ room, when he told of his sea-experiences.

He ended somewhat abruptly, and went to the shelves with books.  Thyrza rose and followed him.  He looked back, strangely, as if startled.

‘May I look at the books I put up yesterday?’ she asked, timorously.

’Ah yes!  There is old Gibbon, our corner-stone.  He hasn’t much elbow-room now.’

Again he laughed.  The laugh troubled her; she preferred him to be grave.

‘And some more books are coming to-day?’ she said.

‘Yes, this afternoon.’

’Mr. Egremont, may I come and help to put up a few to-morrow morning?’

Again her tongue uttered words in defiance of herself.  She could not believe it when the words were spoken.

Egremont perused the floor.  The slight frown had returned.

‘But perhaps I shall be in your way,’ she continued, hastily.  ’I didn’t think.  I am troublesome.’

’Indeed you are not at all, Miss Trent.  I should be very glad.  If—­ if you are sure you can spare the time?’

’I can quite well.  I do a little work for Mrs. Grail, but that doesn’t take anything like all the morning.’

A word was on his tongue.  He was about to say that perhaps it would be as well, after all, to tell Grail, and for Thyrza to ask the latter’s permission.  He even began to speak, but hesitated, ceased.

‘Shall I come at this same time?’ Thyrza inquired, her voice almost failing her.

‘I shall be here at about eleven; certainly by half-past.’

‘Then I will come.  I shall be so glad to help.’

A pronoun was lost; something prevented its utterance.  Egremont made no reply.  Thyrza found power to hold her hand out and take leave.  How often they seemed to have held each other’s hand!

CHAPTER XXI

MISCHIEF AFOOT

It would have been a remarkable thing if Egremont had succeeded, even for a day or two, in keeping secret his work at the library.  The vulgar in Lambeth are not a jot less diligent in prying and gossip than are their kin in Mayfair.  And chance is wont to be mischief-making all the world over.