ce, to--to--'

'To what, craven?' her ladyship cried furiously.

'To leave him awhile--I mean to leave him and presently--'

Lady Dunborough's comment was a swinging blow, which the tutor hardly
avoided by springing back. Unfortunately this placed her ladyship
between him and the door; and it is not likely that he would have
escaped her cane a second time, if his wits, and a slice of good
fortune, had not come to his assistance. In the midst of his palpitating
'There, there, my lady! My dear good lady!' his tune changed on a sudden
to 'See; they are parting! They are parting already. And--and I think--I
really think--indeed, my lady, I am sure that she has refused him! She
has not accepted him?'

'Refused him!' Lady Dunborough ejaculated in scorn. Nevertheless she
lowered the cane and, raising her glass, addressed herself to the
window. 'Not accepted him? Bosh, man!'

'But if Sir George had proposed to her before?' the tutor suggested.
'There--oh, he is coming in! He has--he has seen us.'

It was too true. Mr. Dunborough, approaching the door with a lowering
face, had looked up as if to see what witnesses there were to his
discomfiture. His eyes met his mother's. She shook her fist at him. 'Ay,
he has,' she said, her tone more moderate. 'And, Lord, it must be as you
say! He is in a fine temper, if I am any judge.'

'I think,' said Mr. Thomasson, looking round, 'I had better--better
leave--your ladyship to see him alone.'

'No,' said my lady firmly.

'But--but Mr. Dunborough,' the tutor pleaded, 'may like to see you
alone. Yes, I am sure I had better go.'

'No,' said my lady more decisively; and she laid her hand on the hapless
tutor's arm.

'But--but if your ladyship is afraid of--of his violence,' Mr. Thomasson
stuttered, 'it will be better, surely, for me to call some--some of the
servants.'

'Afraid?' Lady Dunborough cried, supremely contemptuous. 'Do you think I
am afraid of my own son? And such a son! A poor puppet,' she continued,
purposely raising her voice as a step sounded outside, and Mr.
Dunborough, flinging open the door, appeared like an angry Jove on the
threshold, 'who is fooled by every ruddled woman he meets! Ay, sir, I
mean you! You! Oh, I am not to be browbeaten, Dunborough!' she went on;
'and I will trouble you not to kick my furniture, you unmannerly puppy.
And out or in's no matter, but shut the door after you.'

Mr. Dunborough was understood to curse everybody; after which he fell