He was scrutinising her face, and Amy, conscious of the too fixed regard, at length moved her head uneasily.
'It seems very clear to me,' she said, 'that a long book is out of the question for him at present.

He writes so slowly, and is so fastidious.
It would be a fatal thing to hurry through something weaker even than the last.' 'You think "The Optimist" weak ?' Jasper asked, half absently.
'I don't think it worthy of Edwin; I don't see how anyone can.
'I have wondered what your opinion was.

Yes, he ought to try a new tack, I think.' Just then there came the sound of a latch-key opening the outer door.
Jasper lay back in his chair and waited with a smile for his expected friend's appearance; Amy made no movement.
'Oh, there you are!' said Reardon, presenting himself with the dazzled eyes of one who has been in darkness; he spoke in a voice of genial welcome, though it still had the note of depression.

'When did you get back ?' Milvain began to recount what he had told in the first part of his conversation with Amy.

As he did so, the latter withdrew, and was absent for five minutes; on reappearing she said: 'You'll have some supper with us, Mr Milvain ?' 'I think I will, please.' Shortly after, all repaired to the eating-room, where conversation had to be carried on in a low tone because of the proximity of the bedchamber in which lay the sleeping child.