"The pericardium is the membrane that encloses the heart. I don't mind telling you that I've only just acquired this encyclopædic knowledge from Stirling,--he was there."
"And is it supposed to be very dangerous?"
"I don't know. Doctors never want to tell you anything except what you can find out for yourself."
After a little hesitating pause they went into the drawing-room, where the lights were still burning, and the full disorder of the musical evening persisted, including the cigarette-ash on the carpet. Tertius Ingpen picked up his clarinet case, took out the instrument, examined the mouthpiece lovingly, and with tenderness laid it back.
"Do sit down a moment," said Hilda, sitting limply down. "It's stifling, isn't it?"
"Let me open the window," he suggested politely.
As he returned from the window, he said, pulling his short beard:
"It was wonderful how those Orgreaves went through the musical evening, wasn't it? Makes you proud of being English.... I suppose Janet's a great friend of yours?"
His enthusiasm touched her, and her pride in Janet quickened to it. She gave a deliberate, satisfied nod in reply to his question. She was glad to be alone with him in the silence of the house.
"Ed gone to bed?" he questioned, after another little pause.