Obscure motives were operating within him. In the depths of his mind (scarcely known to himself) he was asking himself, "How will all this, if I allow it to go farther, affect Fenella? Will it stop her marriage, disturb her happiness, destroy her life?" But on the surface of his mind he was only aware of considerations of public welfare. He was irritated by what had occurred. It was an impediment in his path which he wished to kick out of the way.
He rose, laid his pipe on the mantelpiece, and standing with his back to the fire and his hands behind him, his chin firm and his mouth set hard, he said, with sudden energy,
"Now listen to me. I always knew that was your own story."
"Yes?"
"What I did not know was that any harm had been done. Did you?"
"Indeed no."
"Did the girl?"
"It is incredible."
"Do you know that she has killed her child?"
"Not certainly. She denies it, and the evidence is not too convincing."