People
were going and coming continually in the library. A gentleman sat at a
table near her, busily writing. Servants went backwards and forwards
with books. Another gentleman came in and looked at her curiously, and
then went away. She began to feel uncomfortable, and wondered what was
keeping Lorrimer so long. She thought, too, of leaving the place at
once, and going back by an earlier train than she had intended, but it
would hardly have been polite. A servant came and told her the library
was closed to visitors at two.
"I am waiting for Mr. Lorrimer," she said.
"Oh, in that case----" and the man withdrew. The name was an open
sesame to all parts of the building.
At last he came. She rose with a great sense of relief.
"Let me take your books," he said.
"I have done with them," she answered.
And without another word he led the way to his own room.
They took their accustomed seats.
"I am sorry I could not meet you," he said. "I hope you do not think me
rude. Some wretched people turned up at the last moment, and wanted to
see everything. Just look at the room!"
Every cabinet seemed to have been ransacked, and treasures of all kinds
were lying about in most admired disorder.
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