Perpetua makes a little rapid movement towards him--an almost imperceptible one.

_Did_ she raise her hands as if to hold them out to him?
If so, it is so slight a gesture as scarcely to be remembered afterwards, and at all events, the professor takes no notice of it, presumably, therefore, he does not see it.
"It is late," says Perpetua a moment afterwards.

"I must go and dress for dinner." _Her_ eyes are down now.

She looks pale and shamed.
"You have nothing to say, then ?" asks the professor, compelling himself to the question.
"About what ?" "Hardinge." The girl turns a white face to his.
"Will you then _compel_ me to marry him ?" says she.

"Am I"-- faintly--"nothing to you?
Nothing----" She seems to fade back from him in the growing uncertainty of the light into the shadow of the corner beyond.