It gave him
a mild deep person, whereas he had had on the occasion to which
their interview was a direct reference a person committed to
movement and surface and abounding in them; but she was in either
character more remarkable for nothing than for her bridging of
intervals, and this now fell in with what he understood he was to
leave to her. The only thing was that, if he was to leave it ALL
to her, why exactly had she sent for him? He had had, vaguely, in
advance, his explanation, his view of the probability of her
wishing to set something right, to deal in some way with the fraud
so lately practised on his presumed credulity. Would she attempt
to carry it further or would she blot it out? Would she throw over
it some more or less happy colour; or would she do nothing about it
at all? He perceived soon enough at least that, however reasonable
she might be, she wasn't vulgarly confused, and it herewith
pressed upon him that their eminent "lie," Chad's and hers, was
simply after all such an inevitable tribute to good taste as he
couldn't have wished them not to render. Away from them, during
his vigil, he had seemed to wince at the amount of comedy involved;
whereas in his present posture he could only ask himself how he
should enjoy any attempt from her to take the comedy back.
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