women of average refinement; she had chubby hands, rather broad
shoulders, and no visible waist. The scrutiny she bestowed upon her
visitor was close. To Godwin's feelings it too much resembled that
with which she would have received an applicant for the post of
footman. Yet her smile was friendly enough, and no lack of civility
appeared in the repetition of her excuses for having replied so
late.

'Let us talk about this,' she began, when Godwin was uneasily
seated. (She spoke with an excess of precision, as though it had at
one time been needful for her to premeditate polished phrases.) 'I
am very sorry you should have to think of quitting the College; very
sorry indeed. You are one of the students who do honour to the
institution.'

This was pleasant, and Godwin felt a regret of the constraint that
was upon him. In his endeavour not to display a purring smile, he
looked grim, as if the compliment were beneath his notice.

'Pray don't think,' she pursued, 'that I wish you to speak more
fully about the private circumstances you refer to in your letter.
But do let me ask you: Is your decision final? Are you sure that
when the vacations are over you will see things just as you do now?'

'I am quite sure of it,' he replied.

The emphasis was merely natural to him. He could not so govern his
voice as to convey the respectful regret which at this moment he
felt. A younger lady, one who had heightened the charm of her
compliment with subtle harmony of tones and strongly feminine gaze,