One stream only of evening sunlight came into the room from a
window quite in the corner, overlooking a court. An aquarium
stood in the window. It was a dull parallelopipedon enough for
living creatures at most hours of the day; but for a few minutes
in the evening, as now, an errant, kindly ray lighted up and
warmed the little world therein, when the many-coloured zoophytes
opened and put forth their arms, the weeds acquired a rich
transparency, the shells gleamed of a more golden yellow, and the
timid community expressed gladness more plainly than in words.
Within the prescribed ten minutes Knight flung down his pen, rang
for the boy to take the letters to the post, and at the closing of
the door exclaimed, 'There; thank God, that's done. Now, Stephen,
pull your chair round, and tell me what you have been doing all
this time. Have you kept up your Greek?'
'No.'
'How's that?'
'I haven't enough spare time.'
'That's nonsense.'
'Well, I have done a great many things, if not that. And I have
done one extraordinary thing.'
Knight turned full upon Stephen. 'Ah-ha! Now, then, let me look
into your face, put two and two together, and make a shrewd
guess.'
Stephen changed to a redder colour.
'Why, Smith,' said Knight, after holding him rigidly by the
shoulders, and keenly scrutinising his countenance for a minute in
silence, 'you have fallen in love.'
'Well--the fact is----'
'Now, out with it.
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