“And for another thing?” I waited. “He repeated your words to Quint?”

“No, not that. It’s just what he wouldn’t !” she could still impress upon me. “I was sure, at any rate,” she added, “that he didn’t. But he denied certain occasions.”

“What occasions?”

“When they had been about together quite as if Quint were his tutor⁠—and a very grand one⁠—and Miss Jessel only for the little lady. When he had gone off with the fellow, I mean, and spent hours with him.”

“He then prevaricated about it⁠—he said he hadn’t?” Her assent was clear enough to cause me to add in a moment: “I see. He lied.”