‘She doesn’t say much.’ ‘No, she’s always very quiet. It’s her way.’ ‘Yes.’ The monosyllable meant more than Richard gathered from it. They walked on in silence, and were met presently by a gentleman who was coming along the village street at a sharp pace. A lamp discovered Mr. Willis Rodman. Richard stopped. ‘Seen to that little business?’ he asked, in a cheerful voice. ‘Yes,’ was Rodman’s reply. ‘We shall hear from Agworth in the morning.’ ‘All right.--Alice, this is Mr. Rodman.--My sister, Rodman.’ Richard’s right-hand man performed civilities with decidedly more finish than Richard himself had at command. ‘I am very happy to meet Miss Mutimer. I hope we shall have the pleasure of showing her New Wanley to-morrow.’ ‘She and Miss Waltham will walk down in the morning. Good night, Rodman. Cold, eh?’ ‘Why didn’t you introduce him this afternoon?’ Alice asked as she walked on. ‘I didn’t think of it--I was bothered.’ ‘He seems very gentlemanly.’ ‘Oh, Rodman’s seen a deal of life. He’s a useful fellow--gets through work in a wonderful way.’ ‘But _is_ he a gentleman? I mean, was he once?’ Richard laughed. ‘I suppose you mean, had he ever money? No, he’s made himself what he is.’ Tea having supplied the place of the more substantial evening meal, Richard and his sister had supper about ten o’clock. Alice drank champagne; a few bottles remained from those dedicated to the recent festival, and Mutimer felt the necessity of explaining the presence in his house of a luxury which to his class is more than anything associated with the bloated aristocracy. Alice drank it for the first time in her life, and her spirits grew as light as the foam upon her glass. Brother and sister were quietly confidential as midnight drew near. ‘Shall you bring her to London?’ Alice inquired, without previous mention of Adela. ‘For a week, I think. We shall go to an hotel, of course. She’s never seen London since she was a child.’ ‘She won’t come to Highbury?’ ‘No. I shall avoid that somehow. You’ll have to come and see us at the hotel. We’ll go to the theatre together one night.’ ‘What about ‘Arry?’ ‘I don’t know. I shall think about it.’ Digesting much at his ease, Richard naturally became dreamful. ‘I may have to take a house for a time now and then,’ he said. ‘In London?’ He nodded. ‘I mustn’t forget you, you see, Princess. Of course you’ll come here sometimes, but that’s not much good. In London I dare say I can get you to know some of the right kind of people. I want Adela to be thick with the Westlakes; then your chance’ll come. See, old woman?’ Alice, too, dreamed. ‘I wonder you don’t want me to marry a Socialist working man,’ she said presently, as if twitting him playfully. ‘You don’t understand. One of the things we aim at is to remove the distinction between classes. I want you to marry one of those they call gentlemen. And you shall too, Alice!’ ‘Well, but I’m not a working girl now, Dick.’