orrow.... It seems so
silly to say one is sorry about a thing like this--but I am, you know,
horribly. I have been all along, ever since I found out. You think
that must be a lie, because I didn't tell. But things are so mixed and
difficult--and it's not a lie." He was looking at Lord Evelyn now, at
the delicate, working face that stabbed at his pity and shame. After all,
it was Lord Evelyn, not Denis, whom they had injured and swindled and
fooled; one must remember that. To Lord Evelyn he made his further
feeble self-exculpation. "And, you know, I did really think Hilary had
dropped it weeks ago; he said he would. And that's not a lie, either."
But he believed they all thought it was, and a silly one at that.

It was Lord Evelyn who laughed now, with his high, scornful titter.

"You and your sorrow! I've no doubt your brother will be sorry too, when
he hears the news. I may tell you that he'll have very good reason to
be.... Yes, by all means go now--unless you'd like to stay and dine,
which I fancy would be carrying the joke too far even for you.... Will
you stay one moment, though? There's a little ceremony to be performed."

He crossed the room, and took the Sienese chalice between his hands,
holding it gingerly for a moment as if it had been some unclean thing;
then he dashed it on to the marble floor and it lay in splinters about
his feet. He took up the pair of vases next it, one in each hand (they
happened to be of great value), and threw them too among the splinters;
he had cleared the shelf of all its brittle objects before Leslie, who
had sat motionless in the background until now, rose and laid a heavy
hand on his arm.

"My dear sir," said Leslie tranquilly, "don't be melodramatic. And don't
give the servants so much trouble and possible injury when they do the
room to-morrow. If you want to part with your goods, may I ask to be
allowed to inspect them with a view to purchase? Some of them, as you
are no doubt aware, are of considerable intrinsic value, and I should be
happy to be allowed to buy."

Lord Evelyn looked at the man of commerce with distant contempt.

"As you please, sir. I've no doubt that Mr. Peter Margerison will be
equally happy to give you his valuable advice in the business. He is your
counsellor in these matters, isn't he. An excellent adviser, of sound
judgment and most disinterested honesty!"

He bowed to Peter, who took it as a dismissal, and said "Good night."

Denis, at the op