You do constantly, so you might as well take this one."

"I like that! Why, the man's a stranger! If he ought to be told at all,
Lane's the man to do it."

"Yes, but you see, Lane--"

"That's quite true; I forgot. But isn't he better left alone to get over
it?"

Sir Roderick, unprejudiced, might have conceded the point. But the
prompter intervened.

"What I'm thinking about is this: is it fair to her? I don't say she's
in love with him, but she admires him immensely. They're always
together, and--well, it's plain what's likely enough to happen. If it
does, what will be said? Who'll believe he did it unconsciously? And if
he breaks her heart, how is it better because he did it unconsciously?"

"You are unusually benevolent," said Morewood dryly.

"Hang it! a man has some feelings."

"You're a humbug, Ayre!"

"Never mind what I am. You won't tell him?"

"No."

"It would be a very interesting problem."