The weather was splendid and the walk did them good. But they walked slowly; she panted, and his knees were stiff; they drew no more parallels with the past.
They walked across the fields. The grass had been cut long ago, there wasn’t a single flower anywhere. They sat down on some large stones.
He talked of the Board of Prisons and his office. She talked of the children.
Then they walked on in silence. He looked at his watch.
“Three hours yet till dinner time,” he said. And he wondered how they could kill time on the next day.
They returned to the hotel. He asked for the papers. She sat down by the side of him with a smile on her lips.
They talked little during dinner. After dinner she mentioned the servants.
“For heaven’s sake, leave the servants alone!” he exclaimed.
“Surely we haven’t come here to quarrel!”
“Am I quarrelling?”