CHAPTER XXXIII 475
" Rather an inhospitable question to put to a visitor ; but since you ask it , I answer simply to have a little talk with you ; I got tired of my mute books and empty rooms . Besides , since yesterday I have experienced the excitement of a person to whom a tale has been half- told , and who is impatient to hear the sequel ."
He sat down . I recalled his singular conduct of yesterday , and really I began to fear his wits were touched . If he were insane , however , his was a very cool and collected insanity : I had never seen that handsome-featured face of his look more like chiselled marble than it did just now , as he put aside his snow-wet hair from his forehead and let the firelight shine free on his pale brow and cheek as pale , where it grieved me to discover the hollow trace of care or sorrow now so plainly graved . I waited , expecting he would say something I could at least comprehend ; but his hand was now at his chin , his finger on his lip : he was thinking . It struck me that his hand looked wasted like his face . A perhaps uncalled-for gush of pity came over my heart : I was moved to say -
" I wish Diana or Mary would come and live with you : it is too bad that you should be quite alone ; and you are recklessly rash about your own health ."
" Not at all ," said he : " I care for myself when necessary . I am well now . What do you see amiss in me ?"
This was said with a careless , abstracted indifference , which showed that my solicitude was , at least in his opinion , wholly superfluous . I was silenced .
He still slowly moved his finger over his upper lip , and still his eye dwelt dreamily on the glowing grate ; thinking it urgent to say something , I asked him presently if he felt any cold draught from the door , which was behind him .
" No , no !" he responded shortly and somewhat testily .