She was resolved that, if she could prevent it, he should call no more. It should not be said that she allowed her house to be open to such people. But it required some presence of mind to state her determination. Before she could speak with any authority she would have to find out all that could be known about Mr. Gorst. She would ask Fanny Eliott, who had seemed to know, and to know more than she had cared to say. Instead of going straight home, she turned aside into Thurston Square; and had the good luck to find Fanny Eliott at home. Fanny Eliott was rejoiced to see her. She looked at her anxiously, and observed that she was thin. She spoke of her call as a "coming back"; the impression conveyed by Anne's manner was so strikingly that of return after the pursuit of an illusion. Anne smiled wearily, as if it had been a long step from Prior Street to Thurston Square. "I thought," said Mrs. Eliott, "I was never going to see you again." "You might have known," said Anne. "Oh yes, I might have known. And you're not going to run away at five o'clock?" "No. I can stay a little--if you're free." Mrs. Eliott interpreted the condition as a request for privacy, and rang the bell to ensure it. She knew something was coming; and it came. "Fanny, I want you to tell me what you know of Mr. Gorst." Mrs. Eliott looked exceedingly embarrassed. She avoided gossip as inconsistent with the intellectual life. And unpleasant gossip was peculiarly distasteful to her. Therefore she hesitated. "My dear, I don't know much--" "Don't put me off like that. You know something. You must tell me." Mrs. Eliott reflected that Anne had no more love of scandalous histories than she had; therefore, if she asked for knowledge, it must be because her need was pressing. "My dear, I only know that Johnson won't have him in the house." She spoke as if this were nothing, a mere idiosyncrasy of Johnson's. "Why not?" said Anne. "He has very nice manners." "I dare say, but Johnson doesn't approve of him." (Another eccentricity of Johnson's.) "And why doesn't he?" "Well, you know, Mr. Gorst has a very unpleasant reputation. At least he goes about with most objectionable people." "You mean he's the same sort of person as Mr. Hannay?" "I should say he was, if anything, worse." "You mean he's a bad man?" "Well--" "So bad that you won't have him in the house?" "Well, dear, you know we are particular." (A singularity that she shared with Johnson.) "So am I," said Anne. "And this," she said to herself, "is the man whom Edie's fond of, Walter's dearest friend. And my friends won't have him in their house." "Charming, I believe, and delightful," said Mrs. Eliott, "but perhaps a little dangerous on that account. And one has to draw the line. I want to know about you, dear. You're well, though you're so thin?" "Oh, very well." "And happy?" (She ventured on it.) "Could I be well if I weren't happy? How's Mrs. Gardner?"