"You behaved with the greatest impropriety--you were seen talking
to Miss Mina. Do you deny that?"

"No, my lady."

"Leave the room. No! come back. Have you any excuse to make?"

"None, my lady."

"Your insolence is intolerable! I shall speak to the General."

The sound of the closing door followed.

I knew now what the smiles meant on the false faces of those
women-friends of mine who had met me in the park. An ordinary
man, in Michael's place, would have mentioned my own
encouragement of him as a sufficient excuse. _He_, with the
inbred delicacy and reticence of a gentleman, had taken all the
blame on himself. Indignant and ashamed, I advanced to the
breakfast-room, bent on instantly justifying him. Drawing aside
the curtain, I was startled by a sound as of a person sobbing. I
cautiously looked in. Lady Claudia was prostrate on the sofa,
hiding her face in her hands, in a passion of tears.

I withdrew, completely bewildered. The extraordinary
contradictions in my aunt's conduct were not at an end yet. Later
in the day, I went to my uncle, resolved to set Michael right in
_his_ estimation, and to leave him to speak to Lady Claudia. The
General was in the lowest spirits; he shook his head ominously