“I beg your pardon.”
“You did not see that there was evidence against him.”
“If there had been none, he could not have been arrested. Of course, the thing is disagreeable: it is painful.”
“But he did not defend himself.”
“Upon my word! Do you think that if to-morrow somebody accused me of having robbed the till of some shopkeeper, I would take the trouble to defend myself?”
“But do you not see that Anthony evidently thinks our son is guilty?”
“Anthony is an old fool!” declared the marquis.
Then pulling out his snuffbox, and stuffing his nose full of snuff, he said,—
“Besides, let us consider. Did you not tell me that Jacques is in love with that little Dionysia Chandore?”
“Desperately. Like a real child.”