There was another pause. The village was quite dark now--lights twinkled. High above the frosty exhalations of the dusk, piling walls of smoke-scented mist round the cottages, the stars shone like the lights of celestial villages, dotting the dark country of the sky. The Wain hung tilted in the north, lonely and ominous, Betelgeuse was bright above Sussex, Aldebaran burned luminous and lonely in his quarter. Nigel watched the Sign of Virgo, which had just risen, and glowed over the woods of Langerish. It flickered like candles in the wind. Then he dropped his eyes to the darkness round him, and through it came the creak of a harmonium. "Well?" said von Gleichroeder. "Well?" "Will you accept my offer?" "No, thank you." "Why?" "I've given you my reasons." The subtle sense of hostility put insolence into his voice. "They are no reasons." "They are mine." The foreigner shrugged his shoulders. "So be it. I have made my offer--you have refused it. It is your own concern." He took out his card-case, and presented his card to Furlonger. "In case you change your mind." This was anti-climax, and Nigel felt irritated. "I'm not in the habit of changing my mind." "Just as you please," and von Gleichroeder put back the card-case in his pocket. "Good evening," he added politely. "Good evening," mumbled Furlonger. He turned away, and walked down the village to where the foot-path to Wilderwick striped the fields. At the stile he paused, and realised that he had been exceptionally insolent. CHAPTER XIV WOODS AT DAWN Nigel reached home only half-an-hour before supper-time. Len and Janey did not receive him cordially, but he was too much preoccupied with his adventure to notice their coldness or take their hints. He poured it all out at the evening meal--the subtle sense of outrage which for some unknown reason von Gleichroeder's offer had stirred up, contending in his voice with a ridiculous, childish pride. Len and Janey were unfeignedly surprised. It had never occurred to them that Nigel's playing was even tolerable--they had sometimes liked it in the distance, that was all. "Fancy his wanting you to go and study in London," said Janey. "I'm glad you refused." "So'm I"! "It would have been beastly losing you again, old man--we haven't had you back three months." "Wouldn't you like to see me fill the Albert Hall?" "Well--er--if you could really do it, it might be interesting to watch--just for once in a way. But I don't see that it would be worth breaking up the 'appy 'ome, only for that." Nigel would have liked them to be more impressed, but they voiced his own feelings exactly. "No--nor do I. Well, I've settled the old geyser, anyway--and now let's forget all about him." Which they did at once.