By this time and for the moment all three half understood one
another. Yet none dared say a word to ease the pent-up things that
choked them.

It was the husband's voice that broke the silence at last.

"You wanted to see me?" he said to Raut.

Raut started as he spoke. "I came to see you," he said,
resolved to lie to the last.

"Yes," said Horrocks.

"You promised," said Raut, "to show me some fine effects of
moonlight and smoke."

"I promised to show you some fine effects of moonlight and
smoke," repeated Horrocks in a colourless voice.

"And I thought I might catch you to-night before you went down
to the works," proceeded Raut, "and come with you."

There was another pause. Did the man mean to take the thing
coolly? Did he after all know? How long had he been in the room?
Yet even at the moment when they heard the door, their attitudes.
. . . Horrocks glanced at the profile of the woman, shadowy pallid
in the half-light. Then he glanced at Raut, and seemed to recover
himself suddenly. "Of course," he said, "I promised to show you
the works under their proper dramatic conditions. It's odd how I
could have forgotten."