“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。