But it must be admitted that if
Bernard really thought at present that he had better leave Baden, the
observation I have just quoted was not so much a sign of this conviction
as of the hope that his companion would proceed to gainsay it. The
hope was not disappointed, though I must add that no sooner had it been
gratified than Bernard began to feel ashamed of it.
"This certainly is not one of those cases," said Angela. "The thing is
surely very simple now."
"What makes it so simple?"
She hesitated a moment.
"The fact that I ask you to stay."
"You ask me?" he repeated, softly.
"Ah," she exclaimed, "one does n't say those things twice!"
She turned away, and they went back to her mother, who gave Bernard a
wonderful little look of half urgent, half remonstrant inquiry. As they
left the garden he walked beside Mrs. Vivian, Angela going in front of
them at a distance. The elder lady began immediately to talk to him of
Gordon Wright.
"He 's not coming back for another week, you know," she said. "I am
sorry he stays away so long."
"Ah yes," Bernard answered, "it seems very long indeed."
And it had, in fact, seemed to him very long.
"I suppose he is always likely to have business," said Mrs.
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