ionofit,weretheresultsofthelongandrestlessnight.MissAbbotthadcometobelievethatshealonecoulddobattlewithGino,becauseshealoneunderstoodhimandshehadputthis,asnicelyasshecould,inanotewhichshehadleftforPhilip.Itdistressedhertowritesuchanote,partlybecausehereducationinclinedhertoreverencethemale,partlybecauseshehadgottolikePhilipagooddealaftertheirlaststrangeinterview.Hispettinesswouldbedispersed,andasforhis“unconventionality,”whichwassomuchgossipedaboutatSawston,shebegantoseethatitdidnotdiffergreatlyfromcertainfamiliarnotionsofherown.Ifonlyhewouldforgiveherforwhatshewasdoingnow,theremightperhapsbebeforethemalongandprofitablefriendship.Butshemustsucceed.Noonewouldforgiveherifshedidnotsucceed.Shepreparedtodobattlewiththepowersofevil.
Thevoiceofheradversarywasheardatlast,singingfearlesslyfromhisexpandedlungs,likeaprofessional.HereinhedifferedfromEnglishmen,whoalwayshavealittlefeelingagainstmusic,andsingonlyfromthethroat,apologetically.Hepaddedupstairs,andlookedinattheopendoorofthereception-roomwithoutseeingher.Herheartleaptandherthroatwasdrywhenheturnedawayandpassed,stillsinging,intotheroomopposite.Itisalarmingnottobeseen.
Hehadleftthedoorofthisroomopen,andshecouldseeintoit,rightacrossthelanding.Itwasinashockingmess.Food,bedclothes,patent-leatherboots,dirtyplates,andkniveslaystrewnoveralargetableandonthefloor.Butitwasthemessthatcomesoflife,notofdesolation.Itwaspreferabletothecharnel-chamberinwhichshewasstandingnow,andthelightinitwassoftandlarge,asfromsomegracious,nobleopening.
Hestoppedsinging,andcried“WhereisPerfetta?”
Hisbackwasturned,andhewaslightingacigar.HewasnotspeakingtoMissAbbott.Hecouldnotevenbeexpectingher.Thevistaofthelandingandthetwoopendoorsmadehimbothremoteandsignificant,likeanactoronthestage,intimateandunapproachableatthesametime.ShecouldnomorecallouttohimthanifhewasHamlet.
“Youknow!”hecontinued,“butyouwillnottellme.Exactlylikeyou.”Hereclinedonthetableandblewafatsmoke-ring.“Andwhywon’tyoutellmethenumbers?Ihavedreamtofaredhen—thatistwohundredandfive,andafriendunexpected—hemeanseighty-two.ButItryfortheTernothisweek.Sotellmeanothernumber.”
MissAbbottdidnotknowoftheTombo