Had there been no special reason why she should or should not have
gone with them, the thing would have been easy enough. When two
people go to play billiards, a third may surely accompany them.
But now, Lady Mabel found that she could not stir. Mrs Finn, Mrs
Boncassen, and Miss Cassewary were all in the room, but none of
them moved. Silverbridge led the way quickly across the hall, and
Isabel Boncassen followed him very slowly. When she entered the
room she found him standing with a cue in his hand. He at once
shut the door, and walking up to her dropped the butt of the cue
on the floor and spoke one word. 'Well!' he said.
'What does "Well" mean?'
'The three months are over.'
'Certainly the are "over".'
'And I have been a model of patience.'
'Perhaps your patience is more remarkable than your constancy. Is
not Lady Mabel Grex in the ascendant just now?'
'What do you mean by that? Why do you ask that? You told me to
wait for three months. I have waited, and here I am.'
'How very--very--downright you are.'
'Is it not the proper thing?'
'I thought I was downright,--but you beat me hollow.
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