It was dusk, but not dark, and there was no artificial light in the billiard-room.

There had been some pretence of knocking about the balls, but it had been only pretence.

"Even Diana," she had said, "could not have played billiards in a habit." Then she had put down her mace, and they had stood talking together in the recess of a large bow-window.
"And what did I promise ?" said Crosbie.
"You know well enough.

Not that it is a matter of any special interest to me; only, as you undertook to promise, of course my curiosity has been raised." "If it be of no special interest" said Crosbie, "you will not object to absolve me from my promise." "That is just like you," she said.

"And how false you men always are.
You made up your mind to buy my silence on a distasteful subject by pretending to offer me your future confidence; and now you tell me that you do not mean to confide in me." "You begin by telling me that the matter is one that does not in the least interest you." "That is so false again! You know very well what I meant.