How could a man be his humorous self in these circumstances?
He felt that his humor was growing strained, losing its delightful lightness.
Then the accident: it was entirely Erebus' own fault (he could swear it) that he tripped over her foot and pitched among those infernal brambles.

Her howls of anguish were all humbug: he had not hurt her ankle (he could swear it); there was not a tear.

The moment he offered, furiously, to carry her, she walked without a vestige of a limp.
Mrs.Dangerfield had no right to look vexed with him; if one brought up one's children like that--well.

Certainly she was losing her charm; she was the mother of Erebus also.
His doubt, whether the mother of such children was the right kind of wife for him, had grown very serious indeed, when, as they drew near Colet House, a slim, tall young man of an extreme elegance and distinction came through the garden gate to meet them.
With a cry of "Uncle Maurice!" the crippled Erebus dashed to meet him with the light bounds of an antelope.

Captain Baster could hardly believe his eyes; he knew the young man by sight, by name and by repute.