He was guilty of the weakness of taking refuge in what is called, I believe, in legal phrase, a side-issue.
"Don't say all this before Angela!" he exclaimed, with a kind of artificial energy.

"You know she is not in the least at fault, and that it can only give her pain.

The thing is between ourselves." Angela was sitting there, looking up at both the men.

"I like to hear it," she said.
"You have a singular taste!" Bernard declared.
"I know it 's between ourselves," cried Gordon, "and that Miss Vivian is not at fault.

She is only too lovely, too wise, too good! It is you and I that are at fault--horribly at fault! You see I admit it, and you don't.