'But don't you see the difficulties which must inevitably arise if you refuse to answer?'
'I confess I don't.'
'Then you must be more short-sighted than I supposed. If my brother called himself Babbacombe, then this lady is his wife; and here's her son. Everything is theirs, and I have nothing.'
'I assure you that this lady is not your brother's wife, and that the young gentleman is no relation of yours.'
'Then do you say that Leonard wasn't Babbacombe?'
'I don't see how it matters if he was or wasn't.'
'Not if this lady was his wife?' Mr. Howarth shrugged his shoulders. 'The attitude of your mind is altogether beyond my comprehension. I thought I knew you; but it seems I don't. During the last few days you have been a different man.'
'Don't talk such nonsense.'
'You have--and you know it. I've felt that there was something at the back, and now I begin to have a glimmer of an idea of what it is. You have persistently refused to tell me what were the circumstances under which you first saw Leonard. I'm sorry to say that I'm beginning to believe that it was because, for reasons of your own, you wished to conceal your knowledge of the fact that he was Babbacombe.'
'Reggie, if you take my serious advice, you will restrain yourself from making any further remarks until we are alone. You are not behaving wisely.'