“A man who starved for a week to buy this.” She touched the book under her arm.
For some reason her gently spoken words piqued him, and he replied:
“Yet I am a man just the same.”
“A man but not the same,” she said, and, smiling, passed out on to the landing.
She had descended the first flight before he moved and followed her to the front door.
“I will walk back with you.” It was what any man would have said.
“No, please not. I had rather think of you as the student working for the day.”
He hesitated—then, “Very well. Good-night.”
“Good-night.”
He retraced his steps slowly. The memory of her attitude and her words puzzled him.