"What was the protest this time?"
"Equality of treatment under the law," suggested Marbury. "But you're making Peter uncomfortable. He doesn't like to remember that he was once a man of ideas."
Haversham looked meditatively at Peter: "It must be splendid to believe so thoroughly in an idea that you are ready to remove the trousers of a Junior Prior."
"I was drunk," said Peter bluntly.
"Does that also explain the Lord Chamberlain?" asked Haversham, beginning to be interested.
"No," said Peter. "Then I was only a fool."
"I don't believe a word of it." Lord Haversham turned to Marbury: "Why does he say these things?"
"Peter is a bad case, Uncle. He runs all his ideas to death, and sickens at sight of the corpse. I read Peter two years ago. He was born young."
"I'm afraid he'll very soon exhaust Highbury," said Lord Haversham, smiling.