'Most ineffable bosh! It went the round of the papers, and my brother sent it to Robin, who contradicted it flat. She'll never marry anybody, and he'll never marry her!'
'Indeed! Why so?'
'He was wanted to. Isn't that enough?'
'He was wanted to?'
'Yes, poor wretch! till he cut and ran for dear life, and never thought himself safe till he had got to the top of Penbeacon. That's the way you swells doos it.'
'I'm no swell, thank goodness!' said Charlie, chucking a stone into the river.
'No swell! A swelling at least! I always regarded you as a sacred personage, condemned to noblesse oblige, and all that!'
'Catch it obliging me to what I don't choose!'
Such was the conversation, whose sounds would have amazed Lady Caergwent, even more than did the sight: not that there was intentional hypocrisy in Angela—she never acted a part, but showed herself exactly as she felt at the moment, 'only more so,' and the moments were so little in harmony.
Another person who was scandalized was Wilmet, who, in her capacity of chaperon, was spending the evening at the Priory; and when she found that this addition to the party was viewed as a matter of course, sought Felix out, and declared that she would have nothing to do with the affair unless it were made quite clear that Captain Audley was aware of the extent of the intimacy.