“I’ll waive a point to-night. I have had so pleasant a holiday that it is somewhat distasteful to settle down again. Go and remove your hat, and come down.” But when Rosalie essayed to move towards the staircase she found Mariana gone, and suddenly she stood still. “Why do you stop?” he asked. “Oh, I’m frightened! I really am! I dare not go about this place at night by myself. I don’t know how it is, but I dare not.” “Nothing will hurt you.” “It’s the shadows and the darkness—and the silence.” “Run along. It’s your imagination.” “Are you sure there’s nothing to be frightened of?” “Nothing!” So Rosalie went, and returned like the wind. Her eyes shone with fear, and her breath came in quick pants. “What did you see?” he asked, laughing. “Nothing! I did not stay long enough.” So then, in the comfortable cheerfulness of Mr. Barringcourt’s study, they had tea. Rosalie sat in the big arm-chair by the fire; he in his customary one drawn from the table. Very proud she felt to pour out tea, and quite forgave the youth who waited on them for his officious behaviour of the morning. Besides, this was such delicious tea. It was not a bit like that which she had upstairs. The china was superb, with far richer colours than Crown Derby, or anything at all resembling it upon the planet Lucifram. No wonder that, in the midst of all this luxury and comfort, with a glorious fire and sufficient light, she heaved an unconscious sigh of great contentment. “Still discontented?” asked Mr. Barringcourt, breaking the heavenly silence. “Oh, no! Just the opposite. I sighed because I was so happy.” “Have you any book on etiquette?” he continued, casting an eye round his own well-filled book-shelves thoughtfully. “Etiquette? What is that?” “Good behaviour, I think, but I’m not sure.” “No, I haven’t any book on etiquette; but I remember what my aunt taught me.” “Well, what did she tell you?” he asked, leaning his head against the chair-back, and looking across at her out of half-closed eyes. “She told me always to be polite to people, and unselfish. You see, there wasn’t much else she could tell, because I couldn’t talk.” “To be polite and unselfish! Umph! that’s good behaviour, is it? I think I’ve explained etiquette wrongly to you, then.” After a silence he continued: “I believe etiquette has to do with correct behaviour. Do you know anything about that?” “Oh! I expect that is being stiff. No, I don’t know anything about that. We weren’t at all stiff at home. You see, there was no need to be. We had no servants nor anything, and we always said what we thought. At least, uncle and aunt did, and I listened. But why are you asking about it?” “I’m very undecided in my mind about you.” “Yes. I get very undecided about myself sometimes. I don’t think aunt would approve of me altogether now.” “In what way?” “My tongue. It is so sharp, you know. You said it was.”