Still she does not speak, and there is scarcely any diminution of the horror of her look.
"If you do not mind, I think it would be as well to have someone within call, if he—he—became—unreasonable."
"Do you think," she asks, with a sort of scorn, "that I am afraid of him—afraid for myself?"
"No, that I am sure you are not; but I cannot shake off the idea that—poor fellow!—he may be on the verge of some grave illness; and in that sort of case one never knows what may happen. So, if you do not mind——"
"As you please," she answers, docile even now. "Do as you think best; and will you tell him that I am ready to see him?"
The misgivings with which Jim complies with this request are not much allayed by the manner and voice of him who receives it, and who has been raging up and down the narrow corridor.
"She will not see me, I suppose?"
"On the contrary, she will see you now. But stay!" catching him by the arm as he springs past him. "One moment! For God's sake control yourself! Behave like a gentleman. Do not make her a scene; she is not up to it."
Byng's answer is to fling resentfully away the detaining hand of his Mentor, while he says, with a furious look coming into his bloodshot eyes:
"What do you mean by keeping me here, preaching to me, while she is waiting for me?"