The Harbison Man

Jim brought him down in a dressing gown and a state of bewilderment.
It was plain that the memory of the afternoon still rankled, for he was
very short with Jim and inclined to resent the whole thing. The clock
in the hall chimed half after three as they came down the stairs, and I
heard Mr. Harbison stumble over something in the darkness and say that
if it was a joke, he wasn't in the humor for it. To which Jim retorted
that it wasn't anything resembling a joke, and for heaven's sake not to
walk on his feet; he couldn't get around the furniture any faster.

At the door of the den Mr. Harbison stopped, blinking in the light.
Then, when he saw us, he tried to back himself and his dishabille out
into the obscurity of the library. But Aunt Selina was too quick for
him.

"Come in," she called, "I want you, young man. It seems that there are
only two fools in the house, and you are one."

He straightened at that and looked bewildered, but he tried to smile.

"I thought I was the only one," he said. "Is it possible that there is
another?"

"I am the other," she announced. I think she expected him to say
"Impossible," but, whatever he was, he was never banal.

"Is that so?" he asked politely, trying to be interested and to
understand at the same time. He had not seen me. He was gazing fixedly
at Bella, languishing on the divan and watching him with lowered lids,
and he had given Jim a side glance of contempt. But now he saw me and
he colored under his tan. His neck blushed furiously, being much whiter
than his face. He kept his eyes on mine, and I knew that he was mutely
asking forgiveness. But the thought of what was coming paralyzed me. My
eyes were glued to his as they had been that first evening when he had
called me "Mrs. Wilson," and after an instant he looked away, and his
face was set and hard.