Buttherearelimitseventothelicenseoflaughter;andtheselimitswereerelongsooutrageouslyoversteppedbyoneofthelittlepartyastohavetheeffectofalmostinstantlysilencingtheothertwo。ThefeverofMidwinter’sfalsespiritsflamedoutintosheerdeliriumastheperformanceofthepuppetscametoanend。HisparoxysmsoflaughterfollowedeachotherwithsuchconvulsiveviolencethatMissMilroystartedbackfromhiminalarm，andeventhepatientmajorturnedonhimwithalookwhichsaidplainly，Leavetheroom！Allan，wiselyimpulsiveforonceinhislife，seizedMidwinterbythearm，anddraggedhimoutbymainforceintothegarden，andthenceintotheparkbeyond。
“Goodheavens！whathascometoyou！“heexclaimed，shrinkingbackfromthetorturedfacebeforehim，ashestoppedandlookedcloseatitforthefirsttime。
Forthemoment，Midwinterwasincapableofanswering。Thehystericalparoxysmwaspassingfromoneextremetotheother。Heleanedagainstatree，sobbingandgaspingforbreath，andstretchedouthishandinmuteentreatytoAllantogivehimtime。
“Youhadbetternothavenursedmethroughmyfever。”hesaid，faintly，assoonashecouldspeak。“I’mmadandmiserable，Allan;Ihaveneverrecoveredit。Gobackandaskthemtoforgiveme;Iamashamedtogoandaskthemmyself。Ican’ttellhowithappened;Icanonlyaskyourpardonandtheirs。”Heturnedasidehisheadquicklysoastoconcealhisface。“Don’tstophere。”hesaid;“don’tlookatme;Ishallsoongetoverit。”Allanstillhesitated，andbeggedhardtobeallowedtotakehimbacktothehouse。Itwasuseless。“Youbreakmyheartwithyourkindness。”
heburstout，passionately。“ForGod’ssake，leavemebymyself！“