She was not sure that she had heard him, and was about to repeat the question. He turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder. 'I would rather keep them on,' he said firmly; and she noticed that he wore big blue glasses, and had a bushy beard over his coat collar that almost hid his face. 'Very well, sir,' she said. 'As you like. Very soon the room will be warmer.' He made no answer, and turned his face away from her again, and Mrs Hall, feeling that her talk was unwelcome, finished laying the table quickly, and hurried out of the room. When she returned he was still standing there like a man of stone, his collar turned up, the edge of his hat turned down, almost hiding his face and ears. She put down the eggs and meat noisily, and called rather than said to him:
'Your lunch is served, sir.' 'Thank you,' he answered. He did not move until she was closing the door. Then he turned round and walked eagerly up to the table. Mrs Hall filled the butter dish in the kitchen, and took it to the parlour. She knocked and entered at once. As she did so her visitor moved quickly, so that she only saw something white disappearing behind the table. He seemed to be picking up something from the floor. She put down the butter dish on the table, and noticed that the visitor's hat and coat were hanging over a chair in front of the fire. 'I suppose I may have them to dry now?' she said, in a voice that could not be refused. 'Leave the hat,' said her visitor, and turning, she saw he had raised his head and was looking at her. For a moment she stood looking at him, too surprised to speak.
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