THE WINDOWshe had been so very, very cold twenty years ago;but now she went among them like a ghost; andit fascinated her, as if, while she had changed, thatparticular day, now become very still and beautiful,had remained there, all these years. Had Carriewritten to him herself? she asked.

‘ Yes. She says they’re building a newbilliard room," he said. No! Noi That was outof the question! Building a billiard room! Itseemed to her impossible.

Mr. Bankes could not see that there wasanything very odd about it. They were verywell off now. Should he give her love toCarrie?

Oh," said Mrs. Ramsay with a little start,‘ No," she added, reflecting that she did not knowthis Carrie who built a new billiard room. Buthow strange, she repeated, to Mr. Bankes’samusement, that they should be going on therestill. For it was extraordinary to think that theyhad been capable of going on living all these yearswhen she had not thought of them more than onceall that time. How eventful her own life had been,during those same years. Yet perhaps CarrieManning had not thought about her either. Thethought was strange and distasteful.

‘ People soon drift apart, " said Mr. Bankes, feeling, however, some satisfaction when he thoughtI37