At ten o’clock the girl said:
“I must go and see how they are getting on,” and she went to the door.
“Are we keeping them up?”
She nodded.
“Are you tired?”
“No, I am not tired.”
She looked at him doubtfully.
“We ought not to stay in here; go into the coffee-room and I’ll come there in a few minutes.”
“Right,” he whispered gaily, “we’ll sit up all night.”
She stood at the door for him to pass out, and he crossed the hall to the other room. It was in darkness except for the flash of the fire. Standing at the hearth he lit a match for the lamp, but paused at the globe; then he extinguished the match.