"I thought I had had enough holiday, that I would get back. I only decided to-day, quite suddenly."
"Then didn't you enjoy your holiday?"
"I thought I was going to. I tried to. I even pretended to myself that I was enjoying it very much. But it was all subterfuge, I suppose, for to-day I found I must come back. The fact is I can't keep away from the opera."
Charmian was conscious of a sharp pang. It felt like a pang of jealousy.
"Have you had any dinner?" she asked, in a rather constrained voice.
"Yes. I dined at Gruber's."
She wondered why, but she did not say so.
"I nearly stayed the night in town. I felt—it seemed so absurd my rushing back like this."
He ended with a little laugh.
"Who do you think is here?" she said.