"Yes."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the thing is over between us, the engagement, you know. The fact is we had a scene on Thursday evening. I lost command of myself completely, and used very violent language----"
"To Dora!" cried the mother in bewilderment.
"Yes, to Dora. I don't know what came over me, but I was carried quite beyond myself and said things no gentleman, no man, ought to say to any girl----"
"John, I don't believe you--you are under some strange and miserable hallucination. You said something to Dora Ashton that no man ought to say to any girl! Impossible! Thank God, I know my son better than to believe anything of the kind," said Mrs. Hanbury, beginning in a manner of incredulity and ending in firm conviction.
"Unfortunately mother it is only too true. I need not repeat what passed, but the dispute----"
"Dispute--dispute with Dora! Why she would not dispute with you! How could she dispute with you? Dispute with you! It is nonsense. Why the girl _loves_ you, John, the girl _loves_ you. It is lunacy to say it!"
"I may have used an unhappy word----"
"A completely meaningless word, I assure you."