“But, mon cher , don’t crush me completely, don’t shout at me; as it is I’m utterly squashed like⁠ ⁠… a black-beetle. And, after all, I thought it was all so honourable. Suppose that something really happened⁠ ⁠… en Suisse ⁠ ⁠… or was beginning. I was bound to question their hearts beforehand that I⁠ ⁠… enfin , that I might not constrain their hearts, and be a stumbling-block in their paths. I acted simply from honourable feeling.”

“Oh, heavens! What a stupid thing you’ve done!” I cried involuntarily.

“Yes, yes,” he assented with positive eagerness. “You have never said anything more just, c’était bête, mais que faire? Tout est dit. I shall marry her just the same even if it be to cover ‘another’s sins.’ So there was no object in writing, was there?”