"A girl or two! Listen to him!" Ninian went on. "Oh, listen to the innocent babe and suckling. A girl or two! Look here, let's make a census of 'em. What was the name of that girl whose brother got sent down? Lady Something?..."
"Lady Cecily!..."
"Shut up!" Gilbert shouted at them, and his voice was full of rage. He stood over them, glaring at them fiercely....
"I say, Gilbert!" said Henry, "what's up?"
He recovered himself. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to lose my temper!"
"That's all right, Gilbert," Ninian murmured. "It was my fault. I oughtn't to have rotted you like that!"
"It doesn't matter," Gilbert answered.
5
They were silent for a while, disconcerted by Gilbert's strange outburst of anger, and for a few moments it seemed as if their argument must end now. Ninian began to yawn again, and he was about to propose once more that they should go to bed, when Gilbert resumed the discussion.
"You make no allowance for reticence," he said to Henry. "That's what Roger really wants in politics ... reticence!"