ing supper together," Mr Sharnall
said. "I don't know how it is, I always feel gloomy just when the
winter begins, and the dark sets in so soon. It is all right later on;
I rather enjoy the long evenings and a good fire, when I can afford a
good one, but at first it is a little gloomy. So come and have supper
with me. There _is_ a good fire to-night, and a bit of driftwood that I
got specially for your benefit."

They talked of indifferent subjects during the meal, though once or
twice it seemed to Westray that the organist gave inconsequential
replies, as though he were thinking of something else. This was no
doubt the case, for, after they had settled before the fire, and the
lambent blue flames of the driftwood had been properly admired, Mr
Sharnall began with a hesitating cough:

"A rather curious thing happened this afternoon. When I got back here
after evening-service, who should I find waiting in my room but that
Blandamer fellow. There was no light and no fire, for I had thought if
we lit the fire late we could afford a better one. He was sitting at
one end of the window-seat, damn him!"--(the expletive was caused by Mr
Sharnall remembering that this was Anastasia's favourite seat, and his
desire to reprobate the use of it by anyone else)--"but got up, of
course, as I came in, and made a vast lot of soft speeches. He must
really apologise for such an intrusion. He had come to see Mr Westray,
but found that Mr Westray had unfortunately been called away. He had
taken the liberty of waiting a few minutes in Mr Sharnall's room. He
was anxious to have a few moments' conversation with Mr Sharnall, and
so on, and so on. You know how I hate palaver, and how I disliked--how
I dislike" (he corrected himself)--"the man; but he took me at a
disadvantage, you see, for here he was actually in my room, and one
cannot be so rude in one's own room as one can in other people's. I
felt responsible, too, to some extent for his having had to wait without
fire or light, though why he shouldn't have lit the gas himself I'm sure
I don't know. So I talked more civilly than I meant to, and then, just
at the moment that I was hoping to get rid of him, Anastasia, who it
seems was the only person at home, must needs come in to ask if I was
ready for my tea. You may imagine my disgust, but there was nothing for
it but to ask him if he would like a cup of tea. I never dreamt of his
taking it, but he did; and so, behold! ther