and you may like to have your friends, whom I trust you will find in
Alton, come in from time to time. You will please make yourself quite
at home."

James had not yet fairly comprehended the beauty of the woman. He was
still too dazzled. Had he gone away at that time, he could not for the
life of him have described her, but he did glance, as a woman might have
done, at her gown. It was of a soft heavy red silk, trimmed with lace,
and was cut out in a small square at the throat. This glimpse of firm
white throat made James wonder as to evening costume for himself. At
home he never dreamed of such a thing, but here it might be different.
His hostess divined his thoughts. She smiled at him as if he were a
child. "No," said she, "you do not need to dress for dinner. Doctor
Gordon never does when we are by ourselves."

Then she went away, closing the door softly after her.

James noticed that over the windows of this room were only ordinary
shades, and curtains of some soft red stuff. There were no shutters. He
looked about him. He was charmed with his room, and it did away to a
great extent with his feeling of homesickness. It was not unlike what
his room at college had been. It was more like all rooms. He had no
feeling of the secrecy which the great living-room gave him, and which
irritated him. He brushed his clothes and his hair, and washed his hands
and face. While he was doing so he heard wheels and a horse's fast trot.
He guessed immediately that the doctor had returned. He therefore, as
soon as he had completed the slight changes in his toilet, started to
return to the living-room. Crossing the hall he met Doctor Gordon, who
seized him by the shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "Not a word before
Mrs. Ewing about what happened this afternoon."