Kirsteen bent her head. If there was irony in the gesture, it was not
perceived by Frances Freeland.

"It can't be right for dear Derek, or any gentleman, to go against the
law of the land or be mixed up with wrong-doing in any way. I haven't
said anything, but I HAVE felt it very much. Because--it's all been not
quite nice, has it?"

Nedda saw her father wince. Then Stanley broke in again:

"Now that the whole thing's done with, do, for Heaven's sake, let's have
a little peace!"

At that moment her aunt's face seemed wonderful to Nedda; so quiet, yet
so burningly alive.

"Peace! There is no peace in this world. There is death, but no peace!"
And, moving nearer to Tod, she rested her hand on his shoulder, looking,
as it seemed to Nedda, at something far away, till John said:

"That's hardly the point, is it? We should be awfully glad to know that
there'll be no more trouble. All this has been very worrying. And now
the cause seems to be--removed."

There was always a touch of finality in John's voice. Nedda saw that all
had turned to Kirsteen for her answer.

"If those up and down the land who profess belief in liberty will cease
to filch from the helpless the very crust of it, the cause will be
removed."

"Which is to say--never!"

At those words from Felix, Frances Freeland, gazing first at him and then
at Kirsteen, said in a pained voice:

"I don't think you ought to talk like that, Kirsteen, dear. Nobody who's
at all nice means to be unkind. We're all forgetful sometimes. I know I
often forget to be sympathetic. It vexes me dreadfully!"

"Mother, don't defend tyranny!"

"I'm sure it's often from the best motives, dear."

"So is rebellion."

"Well, I don't understand about that, darling. But I do think, with dear
John, it's a great pity. It will be a dreadful drawback to Derek if he
has to look back on something that he regrets when he's older. It's
always best to smile and try to look on the bright side of things and not
be grumbly-grumbly!"

After that little speech of Frances Freeland's there was a silence that
Nedda thought would last forever, till her aunt, pressing close to Tod's
shoulder, spoke.

"You want me to stop Derek. I tell you all what I've just told Nedda. I
don't attempt to control Derek; I never have. For myself, when I see a
thing I hate I can't help fighting against it. I shall never be able to
help that. I understand how you must dislike all this; I k