“If I must sit at table with him tonight, I may as well do so for ever!” said Martin disagreeably. He took another turn about the room, and fetched up abruptly in front of the Earl, as a thought occurred to him. “After all, he knocked me down! He owes me satisfaction!”
“Would you think so, had your positions been reversed?”
Martin resumed his pacing, reminding his brother irresistibly of a caged wild creature. After a turn or two, he flung over his shoulder: “What should I do?”
“You may meet him, if you choose, and acknowledge the justice of his action by deloping.”
“Folly!”
“So I think.”
“I’ll not beg his pardon! No, by God, that’s too much! How could I guess — ?”
“I believe him to be sensible of the misapprehension under which you acted. He is not the man to demand an apology from you. If you wish it, I can settle it for you, so that it will be unnecessary for any mention of the matter to be made between you. If you charge me with this office, I shall tell him that I have disclosed to you the secret of his betrothal, upon which you have naturally withdrawn your challenge.”
After a moment’s inward struggle, Martin said in a choked voice:. “Very well!” He cast one of his smouldering looks at Gervase, and said: “Obliging of you! You think I should be grateful, no doubt! I’m not grateful! If it had not been for you, that fellow would never have come here!”
“Why, no! But if she had returned your affection, Martin, his coming would not have injured you,” the Earl said gently.