Blind Love

"I fail entirely, Lord Harry, to see it in that light."

"Ah, likely enough! Mine's the Irish point of view. As an Englishman

you fail to understand it. Let that be. One thing; Mr. Mountjoy, I'll

take the freedom of saying at once. I'll thank you, next time, to

quarrel with Me."

"You force me to tell you, my lord, that you are under a complete

delusion, if you suppose that there has been any quarrel, or approach

to a quarrel, between Lady Harry and myself."

"You tell me that, on your word of honour as a gentleman?"

"Most assuredly!"

"Sir! I deeply regret to hear it."

"Which does your lordship deeply regret? That I have spoken to you on

my word of honour, or that I have not quarrelled with Lady Harry?"

"Both, sir! By the piper that played before Moses, both!"

Hugh got up, and took his hat: "We may have a better chance of

understanding each other," he suggested, "if you will be so good as to

write to me."

"Put your hat down again, Mr. Mountjoy, and pray have a moment's

patience. I've tried to like you, sir--and I'm bound in candour to own

that I've failed to find a bond of union between us. Maybe, this frank

confession annoys you."

"Far from it! You are going straight to your subject at last, if I may

venture to say so."

The Irish lord's good-humour had completely disappeared by this time.

His handsome face hardened, and his voice rose. The outbreak of jealous

feeling, which motives honourable to himself had hitherto controlled,

now seized on its freedom of expression. His language betrayed (as on

some former occasions) that association with unworthy companions, which

had been one of the evil results of his adventurous life.

"Maybe I'll go straighter than you bargain for," he replied; "I'm in

two humours about you. My common-sense tells me that you're my wife's

friend. And the best of friends do sometimes quarrel, don't they? Well,

sir, you deny it, on your own account. I find myself forced back on my

other humour--and it's a black humour, I can tell you. You may be my

wife's friend, my fine fellow, but you're something more than that. You

have always been in love with her--and you're in love with her now.

Thank you for your visit, but don't repeat it. Say! do we understand

each other at last?"

"I have too sincere a respect for Lady Harry to answer you," Mountjoy

said. "At the same time, let me acknowledge my obligations to your

lordship. You have reminded me that I did a foolish thing when I called

here without an invitation. I agree with you that the sooner my mistake

is set right the better."