Whether the fellow knew no better or was deliberately insolent, I could not clearly determine.

However, it was easy to perceive the girl was alarmed, and my thought was with her.

This unmannerly brute could wait until we were alone for his lesson.

I had handled worse men than him in my time, and I proposed finding out before we retired who was master.

So when he even rolled and lit a cigarette, eyeing me closely during the operation, I pretended to take no notice, but spoke to her quietly, in a voice which would not carry across the room.
"Don't mind him," I whispered.