"Oh, yes," he answered absentmindedly, as if already his brain were busy with something else. "What time did you fix for starting? I didn't hear?"
"I said to Joseph that it would do if he were on hand at half-past ten. You can rest till nine o'clock."
"Thank you. And now, good night. You've been very kind to-day. Maybe I didn't seem grateful, but I was, all the same; very, very grateful."
"Nonsense!" said I. "If you're too tired to go down, shan't I have my dinner with you? We could have a table drawn up before the fire, and it would be quite jolly."
He shook his head, a great weariness in his eyes. "I'm too done up for society, even yours. I'd rather you went down. You will, won't you?"
"Certainly, if you won't have me. Rest well. I shall see that they send you up something decent."
"It doesn't matter. I'm not as hungry as I was, somehow. Good night, Man."
"Good night, Boy."
"Shake hands, will you?"
He pressed mine with all his little force, and shook it again and again, looking up in my face. Then he bade me "Good night" once more, abruptly, and retreated into his room.