Lugur made no further remark, until they reached the schoolmaster’s house.  Then he said, “There is a light, as you may see, in the right-hand room; Lucy is there.  Tell her I gave you permission to call on her.  Leave the door of the room open; I shall be in the room opposite to it.  You may remain an hour if you wish to do so.  Leave at once if your visit troubles Lucy.”  Then with a cold smile he added, “I am her only cicerone, you see.  She has no mother.  You will remember that, Mr. Hatton.”  As he spoke, he was looking for his latch-key and using it.  There was a lamp in the hall, and he silently indicated the door of the room in which Lucy was sitting.  At the same moment he opened a door opposite and struck a light.  Seeing Hatton waiting, he continued, “You have already introduced yourself—­go in—­the door is open.”

He stood still a moment and listened to the faint flutter of Lucy’s movement, and the joyous note in her voice as she welcomed her lover.  With a sigh, he then turned to a table piled with papers and slates and apparently gave himself up to the duty they entailed.

In the meantime Harry had seated himself by the side of Lucy, and was telling her in the delicious, stumbling patois of love all that was in his heart.  She was bewilderingly beautiful; all his thoughts of her had been far below this intimate observation.  Not that he analyzed or tabulated her charms—­that would have been like pulling a rose to pieces.  He only knew that her every glance and word and movement revealed a new personal grace.  He only felt that her dress so daintily plain and neat and her simplicity and natural candor were the visible signs of a clear and limpid nature such as gods and men must love.

It was easy for Harry to tell her his love and his wishes.  She understood him at once, and with sweet shy glances answered those two or three questions which are so generally whispered to a woman’s heart and which hold the secret of her life and happiness.  In this wonderful explanation the hour given was all too short, and Harry was just beginning to plead for an immediate marriage so that they might see the world together when Lugur entered the room and said it was the hour at which they usually closed the—­

Harry did not let him finish his request.  “Sir,” he cried enthusiastically, “Lucy loves me.  She loves me as I love her.  I was just asking her to marry me at once.”

“That is an impossible request, Mr. Hatton.  Under no circumstances, none whatever, would I permit Lucy to marry for at the least a year.  Many things must be determined first.  For instance, I must have a conversation with your mother and with Mr. John Hatton, your elder brother.”

“You can see them tomorrow, sir—­early in the morning—­if you would be so kind to Lucy and myself, we should be very grateful—­what time can you see them tomorrow?”

“You go too fast, sir.  I cannot see either of them tomorrow, nor yet for many tomorrows.”