"Do you suppose I love to meet lowering glances, to see heads approach one another so that confidential curses of me may be muttered ?" "Ha!" cried Lionel, short and sharp, his sunken eyes blazing suddenly.
"It has come to this, then, that having voluntarily done this thing to shield me you now reproach me with it." "I ?" cried Sir Oliver, aghast.
"Your very words are a reproach.

D'ye think I do not read the meaning that lies under them ?" Sir Oliver rose slowly, staring at his brother.

He shook his head and smiled.
"Lal, Lal!" he said.

"Your wound has left you disordered, boy.

With what have I reproached you?
What was this hidden meaning of my words?
If you will read aright you will see it to be that to go abroad is to involve myself in fresh quarrels, for my mood is become short, and I will not brook sour looks and mutterings.