She was startled. "Well, really, I - yes, a bit, perhaps. It's not surprising considering what tales they tell about it round here."
"You'll think me impertinent," he said, "but I wish you'd leave it."
It was her turn now to look at him, surprised, rather grave. "Why?" she said quietly. "Because if the place is haunted, and you saw anything, it might give you a really bad fright. Where's the sense in staying in a house that gives you the creeps?"
"You're very solicitous about me, Mr. Strange. I don't quite see why."
"I don't suppose you do," he said, prodding the ground between his feet with his walking stick. "And I daresay I've no right to be - solicitous about you. All the same, I am."
She found it hard to say anything after this, but managed after a short pause to remark that a ghost couldn't hurt her.
He made no answer, but continued to prod the ground, and with a nervous little laugh, she said: "You look as though you thought it could."
"No, I'm not as foolish as that," he replied. "But it could scare you badly."
"I didn't think you believed in the Monk. You know, you're being rather mysterious."
"I believe in quite a number of odd things," he said. "Sorry if I sounded mysterious."