\"MissWylie,\"saidErskine,springingup,\"hegavemehiswordthathewouldnotgobythattrainwhenItoldhimMissLindsaywasgoingbyit。HehasbrokenhiswordandseizedtheopportunityIwasmadandcredulousenoughtotellhimof。IfI
hadbeeninyourplace,Brandon,Iwouldhavestrangledhimorthrownhimunderthewheelssoonerthanlethimgo。Hehasshownhimselfinthisasineverythingelse,acheat,aconspirator,amanofcrookedways,shifts,tricks,lyingsophistries,heartlessselfishness,cruelcynicism——\"Hestoppedtocatchhisbreath,andSirCharlesinterposedaremonstrance。
\"Youareexcitingyourselfaboutnothing,Chester。TheyareinaPullman,withhermaidandplentyofpeople;andsheexpresslygavehimleavetogowithher。Heaskedherthequestionflatlybeforemyface,andImustsayIthoughtitastrangethingforhertoconsentto。However,shedidconsent,andofcourseIwasnotinapositiontopreventhimfromgoingtoLondonifhepleased。Don\'tletushaveascene,oldman。Itcan\'tbehelped。\"
\"Iamverysorry,\"saidErskine,hanginghishead。\"Ididnotmeantomakeascene。Ibegyourpardon。\"
Hewentawaytohisroomwithoutanotherword。SirCharlesfollowedandattemptedtoconsolehim,butErskinecaughthishand,andaskedtobelefttohimself。SoSirCharlesreturnedtothedrawing—room,wherehiswife,atalossforonce,hardlyventuredtoremarkthatshehadneverheardofsuchathinginherlife。