I ever had had before and without knowing it I must have been
completely exhausted; in this state the champagne had found me, and
what would have been harmless at any other time must somehow have got
the better of me when quite tired out--anyhow I went too far, I made
some joke--I cannot in the least remember what--that suddenly seemed
to offend them. I felt all at once a commotion in the air, I looked up
and saw that they had all arisen from the table and were sweeping
towards the door: I had not time to open it but it blew open on a
wind, I could scarcely see what Sir Richard was doing because only two
candles were left, I think the rest blew out when the ladies suddenly
rose. I sprang up to apologise, to assure them--and then fatigue
overcame me as it had overcome my horse at the last fence, I clutched
at the table but the cloth came away and then I fell. The fall, and
the darkness on the floor and the pent up fatigue of the day overcame
me all three together.

The sun shone over glittering fields and in at a bedroom window and
thousands of birds were chanting to the Spring, and there I was in an
old four-poster bed in a quaint old panelled bedroom, fully dressed
and wearing long muddy boots; someone had taken my spurs and that was
all. For a moment I failed to realise and then it all came back, my
enormity and the pressing need of an abject apology to Sir Richard. I
pulled an embroidered bell rope until the butler came. He came in
perfectly cheerful and indescribably shabby. I asked him if Sir
Richard was up, and he said he had just gone down, and told me to my
amazement that it was twelve o'clock. I asked to be shown in to Sir
Richard at once. He was in his smoking-room. "Good morning," he said
cheerfully the moment I went in. I went directly to the matter in
hand. "I fear that I insulted some ladies in your house--" I began.