She went, and Aldous was left to walk up and down the room planning what he should say.

After the ghastly intermingling of public interests and private misery in which he had lived for these many weeks there was a certain relief in having reached the cleared space--the decisive moment--when he might at last give himself wholly to what truly concerned him.

He would not lose her without a struggle.

None the less he knew, and had known ever since the scene in the Court library, that the great disaster of his life was upon him.
The handle of the door turned.

She was there.
He did not go to meet her.