Then Martha opened the door and announced him, yes, really announced him, saying: "It's young Mr.Warlock, Miss, and he says if your aunts isn't in you'll do.""Ask him to come up, Martha," said Maggie, and then held herself there, rooted, where she stood so that she should not run to him and fling her arms round his neck.She felt at once with that quick perception that was hers, in spite of her ignorance of life, that this was no moment for love-making, and that he wanted something quite other from her.
He closed the door behind him, looked round the room, didn't come to her, but stayed where he was.
"I've been trying to see you all day," he said."How long have we got alone do you think?" She never took her eyes from his face.
"Until seven probably.Aunt Elizabeth's in Lambeth and Aunt Anne's in bed.""That's luck." He drew a breath of relief, then moved over to the fireplace."Maggie, I've come to say we mustn't see one another any more."Some one, some vast figure shadowy behind her, moved suddenly forward and caught her in his arms and his embrace was deadly cold.
She stood where she was, her hands at her side, looking steadfastly at him.
"Why?" she said."Because--because--the fact is, I've been wrong altogether.Maggie, I'm not the sort of man for you to have anything to do with.You don't know much about life yet, do you? I'm about the first man you've ever met, aren't I? If you'd met another man before me, you'd have cared for him as much."She said nothing and he seemed to be confused by her steady gaze, because he looked down and continued to speak as though to himself: