"--then you behave like a murderer. What have you to say for
yourself?"
At this I saw there was little I could say, except that I had coarsely
given way to the brute in me, and yet I knew I should try to explain.
"I dare say, Madam, it may have been because Mr. Belknap-Jackson was
quite sober at the unfortunate moment."
"Of course Charles was sober. The idea! What of it?"
"I was remembering an occasion at Chaynes-Wotten when Lord Ivor
Cradleigh behaved toward me somewhat as Mr. Belknap-Jackson did last
night and when my own deportment was quite all that could be wished.
It occurs to me now that it was because his lordship was, how shall I
say?--quite far gone in liquor at the time, so that I could without
loss of dignity pass it off as a mere prank. Indeed, he regarded it as
such himself, performing the act with a good nature that I found quite
irresistible, and I am certain that neither his lordship nor I have
ever thought the less of each other because of it. I revert to this
merely to show that I have not always acted in a ruffianly manner
under these circumstances. It seems rather to depend upon how the
thing is done--the mood of the performer--his mental state. Had Mr.
Belknap-Jackson been--pardon me--quite drunk, I feel that the outcome
would have been happier for us all.
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