Mitchy. Mr. Mitchy has sent me flowers too, as well as Mr. Longdon.
And they're both--since we've spoken of my seeing them--coming by
appointment this afternoon; not together, but Mr. Mitchy at 5.30 and Mr.
Longdon at 6.30."

She had spoken as with conscious promptitude, making up for what she had
not yet succeeded in saying by a quick, complete statement of her case.
She was evidently also going on with more, but her actual visitor had
already taken her up with a laugh. "You ARE making a day of it and you
run us like railway-trains!" He looked at his watch. "Have _I_ then
time?"

"It seems to me I should say 'Have _I_?' But it's not half-past four,"
Nanda went on, "and though I've something very particular of course to
say to you it won't take long. They don't bring tea till five, and you
must surely stay till that. I had already written to you when they
each, for the same reason, proposed this afternoon. They go out of town
to-morrow for Sunday."

"Oh I see--and they have to see you first. What an influence you exert,
you know, on people's behaviour!"

She continued as literal as her friend was facetious. "Well, it just
happened so, and it didn't matter, since, on my asking you, don't you
know? to choose your time, you had taken, as suiting you best, this
comparatively early hour."

"Oh perfectly." But he again had his watch out. "I've a job,
perversely--that was my reason--on the other side of the world; which,
by the way, I'm afraid, won't permit me to wait for tea. My tea doesn't
matter." The watch went back to his pocket. "I'm sorry to say I must be
off before five. It has been delightful at all events to see you again."

He was on his feet as he spoke, and though he had been half the time on
his feet his last words gave the effect of his moving almost immediately
to the door. It appeared to come out with them rather clearer than
before that he was embarrassed enough really to need help, and it was
doubtless the measure she after an instant took of this that enabled
Nanda, with a quietness all her own, to draw to herself a little more of
the situation. The quietness was plainly determined for her by a quick
vision of its being the best assistance she could show. Had he an inward
terror that explained his superficial nervousness, the incoherence of
a loquacity designed, it would seem, to check in each direction her
advance? He only fed it in that case by allowing his precautionary
benevolence to put him in