He gave a conscious laugh . `` On a calm day I fall into day dreams . No doubt you know my reputation , Miss West . If I cut you dead the next time we meet do n't put it down to bad manners . Please understand that it is only abstraction and forgive me -- and speak to me . '' They found Ellen West in the sitting room when they went in . She laid her glasses down on the book she had been reading and looked at them in amazement tinctured with something else . But she shook hands amiably with Mr. Meredith and he sat down and talked to her , while Rosemary hunted out his book . Ellen West was ten years older than Rosemary , and so different from her that it was hard to believe they were sisters . She was dark and massive , with black hair , thick , black eyebrows and eyes of the clear , slaty blue of the gulf water in a north wind . She had a rather stern , forbidding look , but she was in reality very jolly , with a hearty , gurgling laugh and a deep , mellow , pleasant voice with a suggestion of masculinity about it . She had once remarked to Rosemary that she would really like to have a talk with that Presbyterian minister at the Glen , to see if he could find a word to say to a woman when he was cornered . She had her chance now and she tackled him on world politics . Miss Ellen , who was a great reader , had been devouring a book on the Kaiser of Germany , and she demanded Mr. Meredith 's opinion of him . `` A dangerous man , '' was his answer . `` I believe you ! '' Miss Ellen nodded . `` Mark my words , Mr. Meredith , that man is going to fight somebody yet . He 's ACHING to . He is going to set the world on fire . ''
`` If you mean XXXXX he will wantonly precipitate a great war I hardly think so , '' said Mr. Meredith .
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