“No, I’m damned if I do⁠—I’ve had enough of that.” At that moment John felt that he hated his old friend. The accumulated annoyances of the day merged in and reinforced the new indignation he had felt against Stephen since the sack incident and the revelations of Mrs. Bantam. He had had enough. He refused to be further entangled in that business.

Then Stephen spoke again, appealingly, despairingly. “John⁠—you must ! It’s⁠—it’s come up .”