Page 175 (1/1)

She drew back to the stairs, but did not descend Leaning against the

rail she tried to get rid of a feeling of being choked; and she gazed

at the door with a sort of dreadful courage No! she refused to go down

Did it ht of her? They would never know! No one

would help her if she did not help herself! She would go through with

it

Forcing herself, therefore, to leave the support of the wall, she rang

the bell The door did not open, and all her shame and fear suddenly

abandoned her; she rang again and again, as though in spite of its

e some response out of that closed room, some

recompense for the shame and fear that visit had cost her It did not

open; she left off ringing, and, sitting down at the top of the stairs,

buried her face in her hands

Presently she stole down, out into the air She felt as though she had

passed through a bad illness, and had no desire now but to get home as

quickly as she could The people she met see; and suddenly--over on the opposite side,

going towards his rooms from the direction of Montpellier Square--she

saw Bosinney himself

She made a movement to cross into the traffic Their eyesher view; then, froap in the traffic, she saw hi after him