bell to be answered, the
intermittance and reiteration of the music convinced him that the
organist was giving a violin lesson. His first summons remained
unanswered, and when a second attempt met with no better success, he
gave several testy pulls in quick succession. This time he heard the
music cease, and made no doubt that his indignant ringing had attracted
the notice of the musicians, and that the organist had gone to tell Miss
Joliffe that she was wanted.

He was ruffled by such want of attention, and when there came at last a
knock at his door, was quite prepared to expostulate with his landlady
on her remissness. As she entered the room, he began, without turning
from his drawings:

"Never knock, please, when you answer the bell; but I do wish you--"

Here he broke off, for on looking up he found he was speaking, not to
the elder Miss Joliffe, but to her niece Anastasia. The girl was
graceful, as he had seen the evening before, and again he noticed the
peculiar fineness of her waving brown hair. His annoyance had
instantaneously vanished, and he experienced to the full the
embarrassment natural to a sensitive mind on finding a servant's role
played by a lady, for that Anastasia Joliffe was a lady he had no doubt
at all. Instead of blaming her, he seemed to be himself in fault for
having somehow brought about an anomalous position.

She stood with downcast eyes, but his chiding tone had brought a slight
flush to her cheeks, and this flush began a discomfiture for Westray,
that was turned into a rout when she spoke.

"I am very sorry, I am afraid I have kept you waiting. I did not hear
your bell at first, because I was busy in another part of the house, and
then I thought my aunt had answered it. I did not know she was out."

It was a low, sweet voice, with more of weariness in it than of
humility. If he chose to blame her, she was ready to take the blame;
but it was Westray who now stammered some incoherent apologies. Would
she kindly tell Miss Joliffe that he would be in for dinner at one
o'clock, and that he was quite indifferent as to what was provided for
him. The girl showed some relief at his blundering courtesy, and it was
not till she had left the room that Westray recollected that he had
heard that Cullerne was celebrated for its red mullet; he had meant to
order red mullet for dinner. Now that he was mortifying the flesh by
drinking only water, he was proportionately particular to ple