"Mrs. Bedge declined to take that view of him. She wailed that he had a tender heart and was led away because he had a weak nature. In fact, her defence was that of a man being his own worst enemy."
"Maunders certainly was. He had all the gifts of the gods, yet----"
"Yet fell because the greatest gift of honest purpose was not given," finished Vernon. "Hang it all, Towton, scamp as the fellow is, I am sorry for him."
"I'm not," growled Towton savagely.
"Ah, you did not play with him as a child, nor did you go to school with him, my friend. Although I'm bound to say that Constantine was always a selfish chap--what you would call a rotter."
"I would call him nothing of the sort, Vernon. I detest slang."
"That's a mistake. Slang frequently hits the nail on the head when the King's English misses it altogether. Slang conveys much in little, and----"
"Oh, the deuce take your philology. Go on talking about Mrs. Bedge."
"There's no more to say. Maunders has pretty well drained her, but she has enough to live on, and the Hampstead house is her own. Towards the end of our conversation, however, she let out that she was not surprised at Conny's behaviour, as she rather expected it."
"H'm! Somewhat contradictory. Why?"