But when he entered, she knew that the image had been a false one. He came into the quiet room as though he belonged there, and had never belonged to any other place.
‘Hullo-ullo!’ he said, with a faint echo of the old, flippant manner. Then he stripped off his gown and tossed it on the couch beside her own, laying his mortar-board on the table.
‘I found your note when I got back. So you did get my letter?’
‘Yes; I’m sorry you should have had all this bother. It seemed to me, as I was coming to Oxford in any case, I had better push along and see you. I meant to come round yesterday evening, but I got tied up with people—and I thought perhaps I had better announce myself first.’
‘It was good of you to come. Sit down.’
She pulled an armchair forward, and he dropped into it rather heavil
