“Won’t show me,”said Mr. Warboys, in a tone of strong resolution. “The more I think about it the more I think it ain’t the kind of affair I want to be mixed up with. Can’t call a fellow out when he’s staying in your house.”
“St. Erth’s house, not mine!”
“Comes to the same thing. Very important to be nice in all points of honour. Another thing! no business to have challenged him at all. Quite the thing, when he knocked you over: nothing to say against that! When you hit him, his business to ask for satisfaction, not yours. Damme, you’ve made a ramshackle business of it, Martin!”
“I have, have I? Do you think I’ll withdraw because you tell me to?” demanded Martin furiously.
“No,” said Mr. Warboys mournfully. “Just thought of that. Ought to have told you to go on with it. Never knew such a fellow for going against everyone! Often crossed my mind you wouldn’t have run mad after Miss Bolderwood if you hadn’t seen the rest of us hanging round her. Nothing would do for you but to carry her off just to spite us!”
“By God, Barny, if you weren’t a friend of mine — !” Martin said, his fists clenching.
“If I weren’t a friend of yours, wouldn’t have dared to say it,” responded Mr. Warboys frankly. “Quite true, though. Dash it, Ulverston did the right thing when he gave you that leveller! Sorry I didn’t see it. Might have tried to do it myself, if I’d seen you frightening that poor little angel! Don’t say I’d have succeeded because I never was up to your weight, but there it is: daresay I should have been carried away.”
“You would!” retorted Martin, with grim humour.
Mr. Warboys, grappling with deep thoughts, paid no heed to this, but pronounced, after a moment: “Tell you what, Martin! Shouldn’t be surprised if there was more to it than we know. Occurred to me the other evening: seems devilish taken with Ulverston, don’t she? No sense in putting a bullet into the fellow: might easily give her a distaste for you, and then where are you?”
This eminently reasonable point of view found no favour. Martin said roughly: “I didn’t come here to listen to you prosing like the saphead you are! Will you, or will you not, act for Ulverston?”