ght of it, touching none of the books placed at
his disposal. Milly was forward, as might be said, but not advanced;
whereas Kate was backward--backward still, comparatively, as an English
girl--and yet advanced in a high degree. However--though this didn't
straighten it out--Kate was of course two or three years older; which
at their time of life considerably counted.

Thus ingeniously discriminating, Densher continued slowly to wander;
yet without keeping at bay for long the sense of having rounded his
corner. He had so rounded it that he felt himself lose even the option
of taking advantage of Milly's absence to retrace his steps. If he
might have turned tail, vulgarly speaking, five minutes before, he
couldn't turn tail now; he must simply wait there with his
consciousness charged to the brim. Quickly enough moreover that issue
was closed from without; in the course of three minutes more Miss
Theale's servant had returned. He preceded a visitor whom he had met,
obviously, at the foot of the stairs and whom, throwing open the door,
he loudly announced as Miss Croy. Kate, on following him in, stopped
short at sight of Densher--only, after an instant, as the young man saw
with free amusement, not from surprise and still less from
discomfiture. Densher immediately gave his explanation--Miss Theale had
gone to prepare to drive--on receipt of which the servant effaced
himself.

"And you're going with her?" Kate asked.

"Yes--with your approval; which I've taken, as you see, for granted."

"Oh," she laughed, "my approval's complete!" She was thoroughly
consistent and handsome about it.

"What I mean is of course," he went on--for he was sensibly affected by
her gaiety--"at your so lively instigation."

She had looked about the room--she might have been vaguely looking for
signs of the duration, of the character of his visit, a momentary aid
in taking a decision. "Well, instigation then, as much as you like."
She treated it as pleasant, the success of her plea with him; she made
a fresh joke of this direct impression of it. "So much so as that? Do
you know I think I won't wait?"

"Not to see her--after coming?"

"Well, with you in the field--! I came for news of her, but she must be
all right. If she _is_--"

But he took her straight up. "Ah how do I know?" He was moved to say
more. "It's not I who am responsible for her, my dear. It seems to me
it's you." She struck him as making light of a matter that had been