I have a word or two to say to Harry Clavering, which had better be said in private." "I will not go if you are going to quarrel." "Harry," said Sir Hugh, "I will trouble you to go down stairs before me.
If you will step into the breakfast-room I will come to you." Harry Clavering did as he was bid, and in a few minutes was joined by his cousin in the breakfast-room.
"No doubt you intended to insult me by what you said up stairs." The baronet began in this way after he had carefully shut the door, and had slowly walked up to the rug before the fire, and had there taken his position.
"Not at all; I intended to take the part of an ill-used woman whom you had calumniated." "Now look here, Harry, I will have no interference on your part in my affairs, either here or elsewhere.

You are a very fine fellow, no doubt, but it is not part of your business to set me or my house in order.
After what you have just said before Lady Clavering, you will do well not to come here in my absence." "Neither in your absence nor in your presence." "As to the latter you may do as you please.

And now, touching my sister-in-law, I will simply recommend you to look after your own affairs." "I shall look after what affairs I please." "Of Lady Ongar and her life since her marriage I dare say you know as little as anybody in the world, and I do not: suppose it likely that you will learn much from her.

She made a fool of you once, and it is on the cards that she may do so again." "You said just now that you would brook no interference in your affairs.
Neither will I." "I don't know that you have any affairs in which any one can interfere.
I have been given to understand that you are engaged to marry that young lady whom your mother brought here one day to dinner.

If that be so, I do not see how you can reconcile it to yourself to become the champion, as you called it, of Lady Ongar." "I never said anything of the kind." "Yes, you did." "No; it was you who asked me whether I was her champion." "And you said you were." "So far as to defend her name when I heard it traduced by you." "By heavens, your impudence is beautiful.