CHAPTER XIV 168 to-night ."
With this announcement he rose from his chair , and stood , leaning his arm on the marble mantelpiece : in that attitude his shape was seen plainly as well as his face ; his unusual breadth of chest , disproportionate almost to his length of limb . I am sure most people would have thought him an ugly man ; yet there was so much unconscious pride in his port ; so much ease in his demeanour ; such a look of complete indifference to his own external appearance ; so haughty a reliance on the power of other qualities , intrinsic or adventitious , to atone for the lack of mere personal attractiveness , that , in looking at him , one inevitably shared the indifference , and , even in a blind , imperfect sense , put faith in the confidence .
" I am disposed to be gregarious and communicative to-night ," he repeated , " and that is why I sent for you : the fire and the chandelier were not sufficient company for me ; nor would Pilot have been , for none of these can talk . Adele is a degree better , but still far below the mark ; Mrs . Fairfax ditto ; you , I am persuaded , can suit me if you will : you puzzled me the first evening I invited you down here . I have almost forgotten you since : other ideas have driven yours from my head ; but to-night I am resolved to be at ease ; to dismiss what importunes , and recall what pleases . It would please me now to draw you out -- to learn more of you -- therefore speak ."
Instead of speaking , I smiled ; and not a very complacent or submissive smile either .
" Speak ," he urged . " What about , sir ?"
" Whatever you like . I leave both the choice of subject and the manner of treating it entirely to yourself ."
Accordingly I sat and said nothing : " If he expects me to talk for the mere sake of talking and showing off , he will find he has addressed himself to the wrong person ," I thought .