`Don’tbeafraidofme，Marian，’wasallshesaid；`ImayforgetmyselfwithanoldfriendlikeMrGilmore，orwithadearsisterlikeyou，butIwillnotforgetmyselfwithSirPercivalGlyde。’
Ilookedather，andlistenedtoherinsilentsurprise。Throughalltheyearsofourcloseintimacythispassiveforceinhercharacterhadbeenhiddenfromme——hiddenevenfromherself，tilllovefoundit，andsufferingcalleditforth。
AstheclockonthemantelpiecestruckelevenSirPercivalknockedatthedoorandcamein。Therewassuppressedanxietyandagitationineverylineofhisface。Thedry，sharpcough，whichteaseshimatmosttimes，seemedtobetroublinghimmoreincessantlythanever。Hesatdownoppositetousatthetable，andLauraremainedbyme。Ilookedattentivelyatthemboth，andhewasthepalestofthetwo。
Hesaidafewunimportantwords，withavisibleefforttopreservehiscustomaryeaseofmanner。Buthisvoicewasnottobesteadied，andtherestlessuneasinessinhiseyeswasnottobeconcealed。Hemusthavefeltthishimself，forhestoppedinthemiddleofasentence，andgaveupeventheattempttohidehisembarrassmentanylonger。
TherewasjustonemomentofdeadsilencebeforeLauraaddressedhim。