There was no reply to his observations. On the contrary Marjorie lapsed into a meditative silence which seemed to grow deeper and deeper as the moments passed. Stephen watched her until the suspense became almost beyond endurance, wondering what thoughts were coursing through her mind.
At length he broke the silence with the words recorded at the beginning of the chapter; and Marjorie answered him quietly and deliberately.
She continued with her knitting.
IV
A great melancholy fell upon him, if it were indeed possible for him to become more dispirited, against which he was powerless to contend. There was revealed to him on the instant a seeming predilection on the part of Marjorie for this man, Anderson. The longer they conversed, the deeper did that conviction grow. This made him careless and petulant. Now a feeling of deep regret stole over him because he had been so unsympathetic. In presence of her feeling of grief and disappointment, his pity was aroused.
"I deeply regret the pain I have caused you," he said to her quietly and kindly. "It was altogether rude of me."
She bit her lip violently, tremulously, in an effort to restrain the flood of emotion which surged within, which threatened to burst forth with the pronunciation of the merest syllable.
She did not reply, but fumbled with the knitted portion of her garment, running its edges through her fingers.
"I had no intention of speaking of him as I did," he went on. "I would not, did you not ask me."
"I am not offended."