Mr. Harold Alison's excuse."

When so much was said about it, Harold probably wished he had let the
whole matter alone, and was thankful to be allowed to sit down in peace
to his well-earned breakfast, which was finished before Dermot lounged
in--not waited for by his uncle, who offered an exhibition of his
model-farm-buildings, machines, cattle, &c. Fain would Viola and I
have gone in the train of the gentlemen, but the weather, though not
bad enough to daunt a tolerably hardy man, was too damp for me, and we
had to sit down to our work in the drawing-room, while Piggy, always
happier without his great-uncle, meandered about until Lady Diana
ordered off Viola to play at billiards with him, but kept me, for, as I
perceived, the awful moment was come, and the only consolation was that
it might be an opportunity of pleading Harold's cause.

With great censure of the Stympsons' ill-breeding and discourtesy to
her brother (which seemed to affect her far more than the direct injury
to Harold), and strong disclaimers of belief in them, still my mother's
old friend must inquire into the character of these young men and my
position with regard to them. If she had been tender instead of
inquisitorial, I should have answered far more freely, and most likely
the air of defiance and defence into which she nettled me had a
partisan look; but it was impossible not to remember that Miss Woolmer
had always said that, however she might censure the scandal of the
Stympsons, they only required to dish it up with sauce piquant to make
her enjoy it heartily.

And really and truly it did seem as if there was nothing in the whole
lives of those poor youths on which those women had not contrived to
cast some horrid stain; working backwards from the dead men's bones in
the pottery (Dermot had told her they used nothing but live men's
bones), through imputations on Mr. George Yolland's character, and the
cause of the catastrophe at the "Dragon's Head;" stories of my
associating with all the low, undesirable friends they picked up at
Mycening, or in the hunting-field; and as to the Australian part of the
history, she would hardly mention to me all she had heard, even to have
it confuted.

I was not sure how far she did believe my assurances, or thought me
deceived, when I strenuously denied all evil intent from Harold towards
his poor wife, and explained that he had merely driven over a precipice
in the dark, and had a brain fever afterward