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〃The honesty？〃
〃My literary celebrity。〃
〃There's that；〃 Miss Macroyd rejoiced。 〃Well； so far I've merely said I
was sure you were not Verrian the actor。 I'll think the other part
over。〃 She went on up…stairs； with the sound of her laugh following her；
and Verrian went gloomily back to the billiard…room； where he found most
of the smokers conspicuously yawning。 He lighted a fresh cigar； and
while he smoked they dropped away one by one till only Bushwick was left。
〃Some of the fellows are going Thursday；〃 he said。 〃Are you going to
stick it out to the bitter end？〃
Till then it had not occurred to Verrian that he was not going to stay
through the week； but now he said； 〃I don't know but I may go Thursday。
Shall you？〃
〃I might as well stay on。 I don't find much doing in real estate at
Christmas。 Do you？〃
This was fishing； but it was better than openly taking him for that
actor； and Verrian answered； unresentfully； 〃I don't know。 I'm not in
that line exactly。〃
〃Oh； I beg your pardon；〃 Bushwick said。 〃I thought I had seen your name
with that of a West Side concern。〃
〃No； I have a sort of outside connection with the publishing business。〃
〃Oh；〃 Bushwick returned； politely； and it would have been reassuringly if
Verrian had wished not to be known as an author。 The secret in which he
lived in that regard was apparently safe from that young； amiable； good…
looking real…estate broker。 He inferred； from the absence of any
allusion to the superstition of the women as to his profession； that it
had not spread to Bushwick at least； and this inclined him the more to
like him。 They sat up talking pleasantly together about impersonal
affairs till Bushwick finished his cigar。 Then he started for bed；
saying； 〃Well； good…night。 I hope Mrs。 Westangle won't have anything so
active on the tapis for tomorrow。〃
〃Try and sleep it off。 Good…night。〃
XV。
Verrian remained to finish his cigar； but at the end he was not yet
sleepy； and he thought he would get a book from the library； if that part
of the house were still lighted； and he looked out to see。 Apparently it
was as brilliantly illuminated as when the company had separated there
for the night； and he pushed across the foyer hall that separated the
billiard…room from the drawing…zoom and library。 He entered the drawing…
room； and in the depths of the library； relieved against the rows of
books in their glass cases； he startled Miss Shirley from a pose which
she seemed to be taking there alone。
At the instant of their mutual recognition she gave a little muted
shriek； and then gasped out； 〃I beg your pardon；〃 while he was saying；
too； 〃I beg your pardon。〃
After a tacit exchange of forgiveness； he said； 〃I am afraid I startled
you。 I was just coming for a book to read myself asleep with。 I〃
〃Not at all；〃 she returned。 〃I was just〃 Then she did not say what；
and he asked：
〃Making some studies？〃
〃Yes；〃 she owned； with reluctant promptness。
〃I mustn't ask what；〃 he suggested； and he made an effort to smile away
what seemed a painful perturbation in her as he went forward to look at
the book…shelves； from which； till then； she had not slipped aside。
〃I'm in your way；〃 she said； and he answered； 〃Not at all。〃 He added to
the other sentence he had spoken； 〃If it's going to be as good as what
you gave us today〃
〃You are very kind。〃 She hesitated； and then she said； abruptly： 〃What I
did to…day owed everything to you； Mr。 Verrian；〃 and while he desisted
from searching the book…shelves； she stood looking anxiously at him； with
the pulse in her neck visibly throbbing。 Her agitation was really
painful； but Verrian did not attribute it to her finding herself there
alone with him at midnight； for though the other guests had all gone to
bed； the house was awake in some of the servants； and an elderly woman
came in presently bringing a breadth of silvery gauze； which she held up；
asking if it was that。
〃Not exactly； but it will do nicely； Mrs。 Stager。 Would you mind getting
me the very pale…blue piece that electric blue？〃
〃I'm looking for something good and dull；〃 Verrian said； when the woman
was gone。
〃Travels are good； or narratives； for sleeping on；〃 she said； with a
breathless effort for calm。 〃I found；〃 she panted； 〃in my own insomnia；
that merely the broken…up look of a page of dialogue in a novel racked my
nerves so that I couldn't sleep。 But narratives were beautifully
soothing。〃
〃Thank you；〃 he responded； 〃that's a good idea。〃 And stooping； with his
hands on his knees； he ranged back and forth along the shelves。 〃But
Mrs。 Westangle's library doesn't seem to be very rich in narrative。〃
He had not his mind on the search perhaps； and perhaps she knew it。 She
presently said； 〃I wish I dared ask you a favorI mean your advice； Mr。
Verrian。〃
He lifted himself from his stooping posture and looked at her； smiling。
〃Would that take much courage？〃 His smile was a little mocking； he was
thinking that a girl who would hurry that note to him； and would
personally see that it did not fail to reach him； would have the courage
for much more。
She did not reply directly。 〃I should have to explain； but I know you
won't tell。 This is going to be my piece de resistance； my grand stunt。
I'm going to bring it off the last night。〃 She stopped long enough for
Verrian to revise his resolution of going away with the fellows who were
leaving the middle of the week； and to decide on staying to the end。
〃I am going to call it Seeing Ghosts。〃
〃That's good；〃 Verrian said； provisionally。
〃Yes； I might say I was surprised at my thinking it up。〃
〃That would be one form of modesty。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； with a wan smile she had； 〃and then again it mightn't be
another。〃 She went on； abruptly； 〃As many as like can take part in the
performance。 It's to be given out； and distinctly understood beforehand；
that the ghost isn't a veridical phantom； but just an honest； made…up；
every…day spook。 It may change its pose from time to time； or its
drapery； but the setting is to be always the same； and the people who
take their turns in seeing it are to be explicitly reassured； one after
another； that there's nothing in it； you know。 The fun will be in seeing
how each one takes it； after they know what it really is。〃
〃Then you're going to give us a study of temperaments。〃
〃Yes；〃 she assented。 And after a moment； given to letting the notion get
quite home with her； she asked； vividly； 〃Would you let me use it？〃
〃The phrase？ Why； certainly。 But wouldn't it be rather too
psychological？ I think just Seeing Ghosts would be better。〃
〃Better than Seeing Ghosts： A Study of Temperaments？ Perhaps it would。
It would be simpler。〃
〃And in this house you need all the simplicity you can get；〃 he
suggested。
She smiled； intelligently but reticently。 〃My idea is that every one
somehow really believes in ghostsI know I doand so fully expects to
see one that any sort of make…up will affect them for the moment just as
if they did see one。 I thoughtthat perhapsI don't know how to say it
without seeming to make use of you〃
〃Oh； do make use of m