She demands that in here--within this apartment--we understand each other.

That demand is met." "But--" Frowenfeld frowned impatiently.
"That demand, Joseph, is fully met! I understand the whole matter like an eye-witness! Now there is another demand to be met, the demand of friendship! In here, candor; outside, friendship; in here, one of our brethren has been adventurous and unfortunate; outside"-- the old man smiled a smile of benevolent mendacity--"outside, nothing has happened." Frowenfeld insisted savagely on speaking; but Agricola raised his voice, and gray hairs prevailed.
"At least, what _has_ happened?
The most ordinary thing in the world; Professor Frowenfeld lost his footing on a slippery gunwale, fell, cut his head upon a protruding spike, and went into the house of Palmyre to bathe his wound; but finding it worse than he had at first supposed it, immediately hurried out again and came to his store.

He left his hat where it had fallen, too muddy to be worth recovery.

Hippolyte Brahmin-Mandarin and others, passing at the time, thought he had met with violence in the house of the hair-dresser, and drew some natural inferences, but have since been better informed; and the public will please understand that Professor Frowenfeld is a white man, a gentleman, and a Louisianian, ready to vindicate his honor, and that Citizen Agricola Fusilier is his friend!" The old man looked around with the air of a bull on a hill-top.
Frowenfeld, vexed beyond degree, restrained himself only for the sake of an object in view, and contented himself with repeating for the fourth or fifth time,-- "I cannot accept any such deliverance." "Professor Frowenfeld, friendship--society--demands it; our circle must be protected in all its members.

You have nothing to do with it.