not here be told
with more accurate detail.

On the evening of the next day he was bound by his appointment to go
to Porchester Terrace. In the moments of his enthusiasm about Homer
he had declared to himself that he would never go near Miss Demolines
again. Why should he? All that kind of thing was nothing to him
now. He would simply send her his compliments and say that he was
prevented by business from keeping his engagement. She, of course,
would go on writing to him for a time, but he would simply leave
her letters unanswered, and the thing, of course, would come to an
end at last. He afterwards said something to Boulger about Miss
Demolines,--but that was during the jollity of their supper,--and he
then declared that he would follow out that little game. "I don't see
why a fellow isn't to amuse himself, eh, Boulger, old boy?" Boulger
winked and grinned, and said that some amusements were dangerous. "I
don't think that there is any danger there," said Johnny. "I don't
believe she is thinking of that kind of thing herself;--not with me
at least. What she likes is the pretence of a mystery; and as it is
amusing I don't see why a fellow shouldn't indulge her." But that
determination was pronounced after two mutton chops at "The Cock",
between one and two o'clock in the morning. On the next day he was
cooler and wiser. Greek he thought might be tedious as he discovered
that he would have to begin again from the very alphabet. He would
therefore abandon that idea. Greek was not the thing for him, but
he would take up the sanitary condition of the poor in London. A
fellow could be of some use in that way. In the meantime he would
keep his appointment with Miss Demolines, simply because it was an
appointment. A gentleman should always keep his word to a lady!

He did keep his appointment with Miss Demolines, and was with her
almost precisely at the hour she had named. She received him with a
mysterious tranquillity which almost perplexed him. He remembered,
however, that the way to enjoy the society of Miss Demolines was to
take her in all her moods with perfect seriousness, and was therefore
very tranquil himself. On the present occasion she did not rise as he
entered the room, and hardly spoke as she tendered to him the tips
of her fingers to be touched. As she said almost nothing, he said
nothing at all, but sank into a chair and stretched his legs out
comfortably before him. It had been always understood between the