Mrs. Brancepeth rose.
' Now, dear, be quiet,' she said. ' You are working yourself up about it. Don't do that. Don't whip up your imagination on the subject. You take things too vividly.'
Sybil smiled rather hopelessly.
' That does not help matters,' she said; ' some people take them not vividly enough. I am myself, you are yourself; the broad lines of each of us are inexorably laid down for us. All we can do is not to make a very shocking mess of them. We are all unsatisfactory. No, I don't think you are; you are very nice and restful. Now, what am I to do—not about Bilton, I mean, but now this minute. That is always so important.'
Mrs. Brancepeth laughed.
' And that is so like you,' she said. ' Go to bed, dear, and dream as vividly as you can of the outside edge.'
Bilton arrived two days afterwards, and, as was quite natural, paid a call on his friends before dinner in their sitting-room. As chance would have it, neither Charlie nor his mother were in, and he found Sybil alone. She rose and shook hands with him as he entered, but gave him no smile.
' I was surprised to get your letter,' she said; ' I thought you were too busy to come out to this very idle place.'
' I chose it for its idleness,' he said. ' I was very tired, and I have a busy time ahead of me again. It is economical to spend a fortnight in complete idleness rather than let your work suffer for a year.'
He paused a moment.
' That was my excuse,' he said; ' I had also a reason.'
Sybil felt a sudden anger with him, which flared up and died down again as he went on.
' I am glad to find you alone,' he said, ' because I wanted to see you. I had to see you; I was thirsty for the sight of you. But do not be afraid; I shall not make myself
