‘As a friend’—he had not then forgotten the day of the month. That was one passing thought. And then, if Mr. Rollo had interest in new displays of character, he had a chance to prosecute the study, and see Wych Hazel as other people sometimes saw her; so far off she seemed in her reserve. This was not the sprite who had disputed his authority and pelted him with sharp speeches; nor the shy girl who had blushed if he but came near her; there was not even the faintest tinging of the cheeks, nor the least gleam from out the deep shadows of the eyes. Only in one way did the slightest agitation betray itself; but twice she began to speak, and twice could not command her lips; the third time she conquered them and went on. With down-looking eyes, and head a little bent, and hands quietly folded, as if they were too tired to hold each other in the old way, and that pathetic quiver still every now and then sweeping round her mouth and chin, Wych Hazel went straight to the midst of things, as if not daring to waste strength on preliminaries. ‘Sir Henry Crofton had laid a wager—or vowed a vow—that he would not go back to England until he had waltzed with me. I saw him once or twice in the fall, and in town he came often to the house, and after that I met him everywhere. And he very often asked me to waltz. And I always refused. ‘One night’—she drew her breath, as if the words stifled her—then went on swiftly, as before, preventing all questions: ‘One night, at Newport, we were both at an out-door party. There was music, of course; everybody was dancing. Except me. Sir Henry made his usual request, and then asked me to walk instead. ‘ "Do you really _never_ waltz?" he said, as we passed up and down. I told him no. ‘ "But why not?" I said, one of my guardians disapproved of it. ‘ "Is he here to-night?"—‘No.’ ‘ "Then, he will never know what you do." I said then, that I had promised. ‘ "Then it was not for my own pleasure I had given it up?" I said, no. ‘ "Didn’t I sometimes wish for the pleasure again?" Sometimes, I confessed, when I heard the music. ‘ "Had I promised for always?" No. ‘ "O well!—it was very easy to forget the precise date." ‘I said’ (here for an instant a flush came) ‘that I had not forgotten it.’