Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 1.djvu/95

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THE OTHER HOUSE
81

Doctor said he would send him out of the room. But he doesn't."

"All the better—for your reading this." Dennis held out the letter to her.

She quitted her place. "If he's allowed to stay, there must be something wrong."

"I'm very sorry for them; but don't you call that a statement?"

"Ah, your letter?" Her attention came back to it, and, taking it from him, she dropped again upon the sofa with it. "Voyons, voyons this great affair!"—she had the air of trying to talk herself into calmness.

Dennis stood a moment before her. "It puts us on a footing that really seems to me sound."

She had turned over the leaf to take the measure of the document; there were three, large, close, neat pages. "He's a trifle long-winded, the 'governor'!"

"The longer the better," Dennis laughed, "when it's all in that key! Read it, my dear, quietly and carefully; take it in—it's really simple enough." He spoke soothingly and tenderly, turning off to give her time and not oppress her. He moved