"No—instinct, I think. It's my instinct to be against the proper thing, the regular thing, the thing that deals hardly with an individual in the name of some highly nebulous general principle."
"Like discipline?" she put in, with a reminiscence of Major-General Punnit.
He nodded. "Yes, that's one case of it. And, then, the situation amused me. I think that had more to do with it than anything else at first. It amused me to play up to his delusions. I suggested the shawl as useful on our walks—and thereby got him to take wholesome exercise; that ought to appeal to you, Doctor! I got him the combination knife-and-fork; that made him enjoy his meals—also good for him, Doctor! But I didn't do these things because they were good for him, but because they amused me. They never amused Hooper, he's a dull, surly, and—I'm inclined to believe—treacherous dog."
"Who is he?"
"Sacked from the army—sent to quod. Just a gaol-bird whom I've kept loose. But the things did amuse me, and it was that at first. But then——" he paused.
Looking at him again, Mary saw a whimsical tenderness expressed in his eyes and smile. "The poor old chap was so overwhelmingly grateful. He thought me the one indubitably faithful adherent that he had. And so I was too—though not in the way he thought. And he trusted me absolutely. Well, was I to give him up—to the law, and the Radbolts, and the gaolers of an asylum—a man who trusted me like that?"
"But he was mad," objected Doctor Mary obstinately.
"A man has his feelings—or may have—even when he's mad. He trusted me and he loved me, Doctor Mary. Won't you allow that I've my case—so far?" She made no sign of assent. "Well then, I loved him—does that go any better with you? If it doesn't, I'm in a bad way; because what I'm giving you now is the strong part of my case."
"I don't see why you should put what you call your case to me at all, Mr. Beaumaroy."
He looked at her in a reproachful astonishment. "But you seemed touched by—by what we saw in the Tower. I thought the old man's death—and fate—had appealed to you. It seems to me that people can't go through a thing like that together without feeling—well, some sort of comradeship. But if you've no sort of feeling of that kind—well, I don't want to put my case."