Beatrice, from behind the old ladies, regarded me intently and without
hostility. I am inclined to think the modification of my face through
the damage to my lip interested her. It became dimly apparent to my
confused intelligence that I must not say these two had been playing
with me. That would not be after the rules of their game. I resolved
in this difficult situation upon a sulky silence, and to take whatever
consequences might follow.

IX

The powers of justice in Bladesover made an extraordinary mess of my
case.

I have regretfully to admit that the Honourable Beatrice Normandy did,
at the age of ten, betray me, abandon me, and lie most abominably about
me. She was, as a matter of fact, panic-stricken about me, conscience
stricken too; she bolted from the very thought of my being her affianced
lover and so forth, from the faintest memory of kissing; she was
indeed altogether disgraceful and human in her betrayal. She and her
half-brother lied in perfect concord, and I was presented as a wanton
assailant of my social betters. They were waiting about in the Warren,
when I came up and spoke to them, etc.

On the whole, I now perceive Lady Drew's decisions were, in the light of
the evidence, reasonable and merciful.

They were conveyed to me by my mother, who was, I really believe, even
more shocked by the grossness of my social insubordination than Lady
Drew. She dilated on her ladyship's kindnesses to me, on the effrontery
and wickedness of my procedure, and so came at last to the terms of my