But even as he listened, if he tried to remember the last thing that was said, and the next to the last thing, he found that these had escaped him; and as he rose from the table he could not recall ten words that had been spoken.

It was as if the some one very near, who is always sharing one's consciousness and inexplicably mixing with one's moments, had taken St.George's part at the banquet while he, himself, sat there in the role of his own outer consciousness.

But neither he nor that hypothetical "some one else," who was also he, lost for one instant the heavenly knowledge that Olivia was up there at the head of the table.
Amory, in spite of diplomatic effort, had not succeeded in imparting to St.George anything of his talk with Jarvo.

Balator was too near, and the place was somehow too generally attentive to permit a secret word.

So, as they rose from the table, St.George was still in ignorance of what was toward and knew nothing of either the Ilex Tower or the possibilities of the morrow.