； with a good deal of an effort； rose to his feet。 The effort； doubtless； kept the movement from being either as light or as swift as it might have been； and it vaguely attracted his neighbor's attention。 She turned her head and glanced at him； with a glance that evidently expected but to touch him and pass。 It touched him； and it was on the point of passing； then it suddenly checked itself； she had recognized him。 She looked at him； straight and open…eyed； out of the shadow of her parasol； and Bernard stood theremotionless nowreceiving her gaze。 How long it lasted need not be narrated。 It was probably a matter of a few seconds； but to Bernard it seemed a little eternity。 He met her eyes； he looked straight into her face； now that she had seen him he could do nothing else。 Bernard's little eternity； however； came to an end； Miss Vivian dropped her eyes upon her book again。 She let them rest upon it only a moment； then she closed it and slowly rose from her chair； turning away from Bernard。 He still stood looking at herstupidly； foolishly； helplessly enough； as it seemed to him； no sign of recognition had been exchanged。 Angela Vivian hesitated a minute； she now had her back turned to him； and he fancied her light； flexible figure was agitated by her indecision。 She looked along the sunny beach which stretched its shallow curve to where the little bay ended and the white wall of the cliffs began。 She looked down toward the sea； and up toward the little Casino which was perched on a low embankment； communicating with the beach at two or three points by a short flight of steps。 Bernard saw or supposed he sawthat she was asking herself whither she had best turn to avoid him。 He had not blushed when she looked at him he had rather turned a little pale； but he blushed now； for it really seemed odious to have literally driven the poor girl to bay。 Miss Vivian decided to take refuge in the Casino； and she passed along one of the little pathways of planks that were laid here and there across the beach； and directed herself to the nearest flight of steps。 Before she had gone two paces a complete change came over Bernard's feeling； his only wish now was to speak to her to explainto tell her he would go away。 There was another row of steps at a short distance behind him； he rapidly ascended them and reached the little terrace of the Casino。 Miss Vivian stood there； she was apparently hesitating again which way to turn。 Bernard came straight up to her； with a gallant smile and a greeting。 The comparison is a coarse one； but he felt that he was taking the bull by the horns。 Angela Vivian stood watching him arrive。
〃You did n't recognize me；〃 he said； 〃and your not recognizing me made me made me hesitate。〃
For a moment she said nothing； and then
〃You are more timid than you used to be！〃 she answered。
He could hardly have said what expression he had expected to find in her face； his apprehension had； perhaps； not painted her obtrusively pale and haughty； aggressively cold and stern； but it had figured something different from the look he encountered。 Miss Vivian was simply blushingthat was what Bernard mainly perceived； he saw that her surprise had been extremecomplete。 Her blush was re…assuring； it contradicted the idea of impatient resentment； and Bernard took some satisfaction in noting that it was prolonged。
〃Yes； I am more timid than I used to be；〃 he said。
In spite of her blush； she continued to look at him very directly； but she had always done thatshe always met one's eye； and Bernard now instantly found all the beauty that he had ever found before in her pure； unevasive glance。
〃I don't know whether I am more brave；〃 she said； 〃but I must tell the truth I instantly recognized you。〃
〃You gave no sign！〃
〃I supposed I gave a striking onein getting up and going away。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Bernard； 〃as I say； I am more timid than I was； and I did n't venture to interpret that as a sign of recognition。〃
〃It was a sign of surprise。〃
〃Not of pleasure！〃 said Bernard。 He felt this to be a venturesome； and from the point of view of taste perhaps a reprehensible； remark； but he made it because he was now feeling his ground； and it seemed better to make it gravely than with assumed jocosity。
〃Great surprises are to me never pleasures；〃 Angela answered； 〃I am not fond of shocks of any kind。 The pleasure is another matter。 I have not yet got over my surprise。〃
〃If I had known you were here； I would have written to you beforehand；〃 said Bernard； laughing。
Miss Vivian； beneath her expanded parasol； gave a little shrug of her shoulders。
〃Even that would have been a surprise。〃
〃You mean a shock； eh？ Did you suppose I was dead？〃
Now； at last； she lowered her eyes； and her blush slowly died away。
〃I knew nothing about it。〃
〃Of course you could n't know； and we are all mortal。 It was natural that you should n't expectsimply on turning your head to find me lying on the pebbles at Blanquais…les…Galets。 You were a great surprise to me； as well； but I differ from you I like surprises。〃
〃It is rather refreshing to hear that one is a surprise；〃 said the girl。
〃Especially when in that capacity one is liked！〃 Bernard exclaimed。
〃I don't say thatbecause such sensations pass away。 I am now beginning to get over mine。〃
The light mockery of her tone struck him as the echo of an unforgotten air。 He looked at her a moment； and then he said
〃You are not changed； I find you quite the same。〃
〃I am sorry for that！〃 And she turned away。
〃What are you doing？〃 he asked。 〃Where are you going？〃
She looked about her； without answering； up and down the little terrace。 The Casino at Blanquais was a much more modest place of reunion than the Conversation…house at Baden…Baden。 It was a small； low structure of brightly painted wood； containing but three or four rooms； and furnished all along its front with a narrow covered gallery； which offered a delusive shelter from the rougher moods of the fine； fresh weather。 It was somewhat rude and shabbythe subscription for the season was lowbut it had a simple picturesqueness。 Its little terrace was a very convenient place for a stroll； and the great view of the ocean and of the marble…white crags that formed the broad gate…way of the shallow bay； was a sufficient compensation for the absence of luxuries。 There were a few people sitting in the gallery； and a few others scattered upon the terrace； but the pleasure…seekers of Blanquais were； for the most part； immersed in the salt water or disseminated on the grassy downs。
〃I am looking for my mother；〃 said Angela Vivian。
〃I hope your mother is well。〃
〃Very well； thank you。〃
〃May I help you to look for her？〃 Bernard asked。
Her eyes paused in their quest； and rested a moment upon her companion。
〃She is not here；〃 she said presently。 〃She has gone home。〃
〃What do you call home？〃 Bernard demanded。
〃The sort of place that we always call home； a bad little house that we have taken for a month。〃
〃Will you let me come and see it？〃
〃It 's nothing to see。〃
Bernard hesitated a moment。
〃Is that a refusal？〃
〃I should never think of giving it so fine a name。〃
〃There would be nothing fine in forbidding me your door。 Don't think that！〃 said Bernard； with rather a forced laugh。
It was difficult to know what the girl thought； but she said； in a moment
〃We shall be very happy to see you。 I am going home。〃
〃May I walk with you so far？〃 asked Bernard。
〃It is not far； it 's only three minutes。〃 And Angela moved slowly to the gate of the Casino。
CHAPTER XX
Bernard walked beside her； and for some moments nothing was said between them。 As the silence continued； he became aware of it； and it vexed him that she should leave certain things unsaid。 She had asked him no questionneither whence he had come； nor how long he would stay； nor what had happened to him since they parted。 He wished to see whether this was intention or accident。 He was already complaining to himself that she expressed no interest in him； and he was perfectly aware that this was a ridiculous feeling。 He had come to speak to her in order to tell her that he was going away； and yet； at the end of five minutes； he had asked leave to come and see her。 This sudden gyration of mind was grotesque； and Bernard knew it； but； nevertheless； he had an immense expectation that； if he should give her time； she would manifest some curiosity as to his own situation。 He tried to give her time； he held his tongue； but she continued to say nothing。 They passed along a sort of winding lane； where two or three fishermen's cottages； with old brown nets suspended on the walls and drying in the sun； stood open to the road； on the other side of which was a patch of salt…looking grass； browsed by a donkey that was not fastidious。
〃It 's so long since we parted； and we have so much to say to each other！〃 Bernard exclaimed at last； and he accompanied this declaration with a laugh much more spontaneous than the one he had given a few moments before。
It might have gratified him； however； to observe that his companion appeared to see no ground for joking in the idea that they should have a good deal to say to each other。
〃Yes； it 's a long time since we spent those pleasant weeks at Baden；〃 she rejoined。 〃Have you been there again？〃
This was a question； and though it was a very simple one； Bernard was charmed with it。
〃I would n't go back for the world！〃 he said。 〃And you？〃
〃Would I go back？ Oh yes； I thought it so agreeable。〃
With this he was less pleased； he had expected the traces of resentment； and he was actually disappointed at not finding them。 But here was the little house of which his companion had spoken； and it seemed； indeed； a rather bad one。 That is； it was one of those diminutive structures which are known at French watering…places as 〃chalets；〃 and； with an exiguity of furniture； are let for the season to families that pride themselves upon their powers of contraction。 This one was a very humble specimen of its class； though it was doubtless a not inadequate abode for two quiet and frugal women。 It had a few inches of garden； and there were flowers in pots in the open windows； where s