In the end he promised to perform this service, and to communicate the result that evening.  It was Saturday; at half-past one he left the workroom, hastened home to prepare himself for the visit, and, without thinking of dinner, set out to find the address Mrs. Hewett had given him.  His steps were directed to a dull street on the north of Pentonville Road; the house at which he mad e inquiry was occupied by a drum-manufacturer.  Miss Hewett, he learnt, was not at home; she had gone forth two hours ago, and nothing was known of her movements.  Sidney turned away and began to walk up and down the shadowed side of the street; there was no breath of air stirring, and from the open windows radiated stuffy odours.  A quarter of an hour sufficed to exasperate him with anxiety and physical malaise.  He suffered from his inability to do anything at once, from conflict with himself as to whether or not it behoved him to speak with John Hewett; of Clara he thought with anger rather than fear, for her behaviour seemed to prove that nothing had happened save the inevitable breach with Mrs. Tubbs.  Just as he had said to himself that it was no use waiting about all the afternoon, he saw Clara approaching.  At sight of him she manifested neither surprise nor annoyance, but came forward with eyes carelessly averted.  Not having seen her for so long, Sidney was startled by the change in her features; her cheeks had sunk, her eyes were unnaturally dark, there was something worse than the familiar self-will about her lips.

‘I’ve been waiting to see you,’ he said.  ’Will you walk along here for a minute or two?’

‘What do you want to say?  I’m tired.’

’Mrs. Tubbs has told your mother what has happened, and she came to me.  Your father doesn’t know yet.’

’It’s nothing to me whether he knows or not.  I’ve left the place, that’s all, and I’m going to live here till I’ve got another.’

‘Why not go home?’

’Because I don’t choose to.  I don’t see that it concerns you, Mr. Kirkwood.’

Their eyes met, and Sidney felt how little fitted he was to reason with the girl, even would she consent to hear him.  His mood was the wrong one; the torrid sunshine seemed to kindle an evil fire in him, and with difficulty he kept back words of angry unreason; he even—­ strangest of inconsistencies—­experienced a kind of brutal pleasure in her obvious misery.  Already she was reaping the fruit of obstinate folly.  Clara read what his eyes expressed; she trembled with responsive hostility.

‘No, it doesn’t concern me,’ Sidney replied, half turning away.  ’But it’s perhaps as well you should know that Mrs. Tubbs is doing her best to take away your good name.  However little we are to each other, it’s my duty to tell you that, and put you on your guard.  I hope your father mayn’t hear these stories before you have spoken to him yourself.’

Clara listened with a contemptuous smile.