This thrust put the two lieutenants to silence but Heron went on:

―In any case Byron was a heretic and immoral too.

―I don’t care what he was, cried Stephen hotly.

―You don’t care whether he was a heretic or not? said Nash.

―What do you know about it? shouted Stephen. You never read a line of anything in your life except a trans or Boland either.

―I know that Byron was a bad man, said Boland.

―Here, catch hold of this heretic, Heron called out.

In a moment Stephen was a prisoner.

―Tate made you buck up the other day, Heron went on, about the heresy in your essay.

―I’ll tell him tomorrow, said Boland.