"Because it savoured of self-righteousness, and that was not becoming in a man who had brought his own troubles upon himself."
May did not look up at him; she felt, too keenly the poignancy of that brief confession, dignified in its simplicity, a confession that a weaker man would have been afraid to make, and a man of less intelligence could not have made because he would not have understood the dignity of it. May found no words with which to speak to him; she could only look at the carpet stupidly and admire him with all the pulses in her body.
"Your interpretation of 'the Glory of the Lord' is the right one; I think—I feel convinced of it."
He stood before her, wearing a curiously pathetic expression of diffidence.
That moment passed, and then he seemed to force himself back into his old attitude of courteous reserve.
"You were just going when I came in," he said, moving and putting out his hand to open the door for her. "I am keeping you."
"I was going," said May, "but, Dr. Middleton——"
He let his arm drop. "Yes?" he said.
"You have, I am afraid, a totally wrong idea of me."
He stared straight into her face as she spoke, but it was his veiled stare, in which he held himself aloof for reasons of his own.