Warden of the College,
seemed to fit in with recent events, the events of the last few days;
this only made the whole episode more repulsive. He must train
Gwendolen--if indeed she were capable of being trained! The mother would
be perhaps even a greater obstacle to a sane and useful life than
Gwendolen herself.

Very likely Gwendolen's letter was to announce that Lady Belinda
insisted on coming at once, whether there was room for her or not; or
possibly the letter contained some foolish enclosure from Lady Belinda,
and Gwendolen was shy of communicating it, but had been ordered to do
so.

Possibly the letter contained a cutting announcing the engagement! He
had glanced through the _Times_ yesterday and this morning very hastily.
Gwendolen's mother might be capable of announcing the engagement before
it had actually taken place!

He poured out a cup of tea and drank it, and then took the letter from
his pocket.

He started at the opening of his door. Robinson brought in an American
visitor, who came with an introduction. The introduction was lying on
the desk, not yet opened. The Warden rose--escape was impossible. He put
the letter back into his pocket.

"Bring fresh tea, Robinson," said the Warden.

But the stranger declined it. He had business in view. He had a string
of solemn questions to ask upon world matters. He wanted the answers. He
was writing a book, he wanted copy. He had come, metaphorically
speaking, note-book and pencil in hand.

The Warden, with his mind upon private matters, looked gloomily at this
visitor to Oxford. Even about "world" matters, with that letter in his
pocket, he found it difficult to tolerate an interviewer. How was he to
get through his work if he felt like this?

The American, too, became uneasy. He found the Warden unwilling to give
him any dogmatic pronouncements on the subject of Literature, on the
subject of Education, or the subject of Woman now and Woman in the
immediate future. The Warden declined to say whether the Church of
England would work for union or whether it was going to split up and
dwindle into rival sects. He was also guarded in his remarks about the
political situation in England. He would not prophesy the future of
Labour, or the fate of Landowners. The Warden was not encouraging. With
that letter in his pocket the Warden found it difficult to assume the
patient attention that was due to note-book visitors from afar.

This was a bad beginning, surely