minutes after she had sat down by the teatable； and she had the happiness of receiving him alone。 His greeting put her doubts of his affection at rest； but the first question he asked was： “Has Katharine spoken to you？” “Yes。 But she says she’s not engaged。 She doesn’t seem to think she’s ever going to be engaged。” William frowned； and looked annoyed。 “They telephoned this morning； and she behaves very oddly。 She forgets to help the pudding；” Cassandra added by way of cheering him。 378 Virginia Woolf “My dear child； after what I saw and heard last night； it’s not a question of guessing or suspecting。 Either she’s engaged to him—or—” He left his sentence unfinished； for at this point Katharine herself appeared。 With his recollections of the scene the night before； he was too selfconscious even to look at her； and it was not until she told him of her mother’s visit to StratfordonAvon that he raised his eyes。 It was clear that he was greatly relieved。 He looked round him now； as if he felt at his ease； and Cassandra exclaimed： “Don’t you think everything looks quite different？” “You’ve moved the sofa？” he asked。 “No。 Nothing’s been touched；” said Katharine。 “Everything’s exactly the same。” But as she said this； with a decision which seemed to make it imply that more than the sofa was unchanged； she held out a cup into which she had forgotten to pour any tea。 Being told of her forgetfulness； she frowned with annoyance； and said that Cassandra was demoralizing her。 The glance she cast upon them； and the resolute way in which she plunged them into speech； made William and Cassandra feel like children who had been caught prying。 They followed her obediently； making conversation。 Any one ing in might have judged them acquaintances met； perhaps； for the third time。 If that were so； one must have concluded that the hostess suddenly bethought her of an engagement pressing for fulfilment。 First Katharine looked at her watch； and then she asked William to tell her the right time。 When told that it was ten minutes to five she rose at once； and said： “Then I’m afraid I must go。” She left the room； holding her unfinished bread and butter in her hand。 William glanced at Cassandra。 “Well； she is queer！” Cassandra exclaimed。 William looked perturbed。 He knew more of Katharine than Cassandra did； but even he could not tell—。 In a second Katharine was back again dressed in outdoor things； still holding her bread and butter in her bare hand。 “If I’m late； don’t wait for me；” she said。 “I shall have dined；” and so saying； she left them。 “But she can’t—” William exclaimed； as the door shut； 379 Night and Day “not without any gloves and bread and butter in her hand！” They ran to the window； and saw her walking rapidly along the street towards the City。 Then she vanished。 “She must have gone to meet Mr。 Denham；” Cassandra exclaimed。 “Goodness knows！” William interjected。 The incident impressed them both as having something queer and ominous about it out of all proportion to its surface strangeness。 “It’s the sort of way Aunt Maggie behaves；” said Cassandra； as if in explanation。 William shook his head； and paced up and down the room looking extremely perturbed。 “This is what I’ve been foretelling；” he burst out。 “Once set the ordinary conventions aside—Thank Heaven Mrs。 Hilbery is away。 But there’s Mr。 Hilbery。 How are we to explain it to him？ I shall have to leave you。” “But Uncle Trevor won’t be back for hours； William！” Cassandra implored。 “You never can tell。 He may be on his way already。 Or suppose Mrs。 Milvain—your Aunt Celia—or Mrs。 Cosham； or any other of your aunts or uncles should be shown in and find us alone together。 You know what they’re saying about us already。” Cassandra was equally stricken by the sight of William’s agitation； and appalled by the prospect of his desertion。 “We might hide；” she exclaimed wildly； glancing at the curtain which separated the room with the relics。 “I refuse entirely to get under the table；” said William sarcastically。 She saw that he was losing his temper with the difficulties of the situation。 Her instinct told her that an appeal to his affection； at this moment； would be extremely illjudged。 She controlled herself； sat down； poured out a fresh cup of tea； and sipped it quietly。 This natural action； arguing plete selfmastery； and showing her in one of those feminine attitudes which William found adorable； did more than any argument to pose his agitation。 It appealed to his chivalry。 He accepted a cup。 Next she asked for a slice of cake。 By the time the cake was eaten and the tea drunk the personal question had lapsed； and they were discussing poetry。 Insensibly they turned 380 Virginia Woolf from the question of dramatic poetry in general； to the particular example which reposed in William’s pocket； and when the maid came in to clear away the teathings； William had asked permission to read a short passage aloud； “unless it bored her？” Cassandra bent her head in silence； but she showed a little of what she felt in her eyes； and thus fortified； William felt confident that it would take more than Mrs。 Milvain herself to rout him from his position。 He read aloud。 Meanwhile Katharine walked rapidly along the street。 If called upon to explain her impulsive action in leaving the teatable； she could have traced it to no better cause than that William had glanced at Cassandra； Cassandra at William。 Yet； because they had glanced； her position was impossible。 If one forgot to pour out a cup of tea they rushed to the conclusion that she was engaged to Ralph Denham。 She knew that in half an hour or so the door would open； and Ralph Denham would appear。 She could not sit there and contemplate seeing him with William’s and Cassandra’s eyes upon them； judging their exact degree of intimacy； so that they might fix the