‘Come, don’t be crusty, Gilbert,’ said he, suddenly, and without his usual sullenness. ‘You know I have been wondering for a long time if I should do this; and now that it’s done, by Jove, you don’t seem to think it makes any difference to a fellow! I thought you would shake hands, and wish me joy at any rate.’
Gilbert was a little time silent before he answered. Then he said—
‘I can do that, if you like, and do it honestly. I’ve no objection to shake hands with you, and I would rather you met with joy than sorrow; but’—with a sudden change of tone—‘why did you spoil everything by making that hideous exhibition of yourself to-night? Why could you not tame Magdalen, if she wants taming, without embroiling yourself with half a dozen other people? It is too stupid!’
It was not by reproaches like these that Gilbert had got and maintained his power over Otho, but something to-night seemed to drive the words out of him, whether he wished to utter them or not. Otho did not seem inclined to quarrel.
‘What does it matter?’ he said, tolerantly. ‘Let me alone. It will all blow over.’
‘It will not blow over!’ said Gilbert, almost passionately. ‘Do you suppose that Roger Camm will put up with such treatment? He was perfectly frantic, and you will have to reckon with him yet——’
‘I’m quite ready,’ said Otho, scowling suddenly. ‘He had better mind what he is about, in calling me to account, that’s all.’
‘Not only that, but you made yourself ridiculous; and, above all, Otho, you put a public insult upon your sister by behaving as you did in her presence, with a little vulgar fool like that Dixon girl. It is——’
‘My sister chose to come poking her nose into my house, and mixing herself with my affairs,’ said Otho, sullenly. ‘She may take the consequences. Let her go home again to her genteel friends, if she objects to what goes on here.’
‘Bah!’ said Gilbert, with indignation. ‘Have you no sense of decency?’