Then he remembered the easy freedom with which his position had been discussed throughout the whole neighbourhood of Allington, and felt for the first time that the Dale family had been almost indelicate in their want of reticence.

"I suppose it was done to tie me the faster," he said to himself, as he pulled out the ends of his cravat.

"What a fool I was to come here, or indeed to go anywhere, after settling myself as I have done." And then he went down into the drawing-room.
It was almost a relief to him when he found that he was not charged with his sin at once.

He himself had been so full of the subject that he had expected to be attacked at the moment of his entrance.

He was, however, greeted without any allusion to the matter.