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"Oh, well then," he said, "it's no worse here than what they

are up there"

She did not quite understand His protective manner, and his

sureness, and his intimacy, puzzled her What did he mean? If he

was her equal, why did he behave so without for on

him

She saw him fresh and naive, uncouth, almost entirely

beyond relationship with her Yet he was good-looking, with his

fair hair and blue eyes full of energy, and with his healthy

body that seemed to take equality with her She watched him

steadily He was difficult for her to understand, warm, uncouth,

and confident as he was, sure on his feet as if he did not knohat it was to be unsure What then was it that gave him this

curious stability?

She did not know She wondered She looked round the room he

lived in It had a close intihtened her The furniture was old and familiar as old

people, the whole place see, that she was uneasy

"It is already a long time that you have lived in this

house--yes?" she asked

"I've always lived here," he said