Another man would have said, plainly, "Horace is jealous of me." Julian did not wait for her to answer him.

He considerately went on.
"For the reason that I have just mentioned," he said, "Horace will be easily irritated into taking a course which, in his calmer moments, nothing would induce him to adopt.

Until I heard what your maid said to you I had thought (for your sake) of retiring before he joined you here.

Now I know that my name has been introduced, and has made mischief upstairs, I feel the necessity (for your sake again) of meeting Horace and his temper face to face before you see him.

Let me, if I can, prepare him to hear you without any angry feeling in his mind toward you.