"Saturday. I can't possibly before." The interview took place on the Tuesday evening, and on Wednesday Gerald went to lay the state of affairs before Neaera. Neaera was petulant, scornful, almost flippant. More than all this, she was mysterious. "Mr. George Neston has his reasons," she said. "He will not withdraw his accusation. I know he will not." "My dearest, George is a first-rate fellow, as honourable as the day. If he finds--rather, when he finds----" All Neaera said was, "Honourable!" But she put a great deal into that one word. "You dear, simple fellow!" she went on, "you have no suspicions of anybody. But let him take care how he persists." More than this could not be got out of her, but she spoke freely about her own supposed misdoings, pouring a flood of ridicule and bitterness on George's unhappy head. "A fool you call him!" she exclaimed, in reply to Gerald's half-hearted defence. "I don't know if he's a fool, but I hope he is no worse." "Who's getting it so precious warm, Mrs. Witt?" inquired Tommy Myles's cheerful voice. "The door was ajar, and your words forced themselves--you know." "How do you do, Mr. Myles?" "As you'd invited me, and your servant wasn't about, the porter-fellow told me to walk up." "I'm very glad you did. There's nothing you can't hear." "Oh, I say, Neaera!" Gerald hastily exclaimed. "Why shouldn't he hear?" demanded Neaera, turning on him in superb indignation. "Are you afraid that he'll believe it?" "No; but we all thought----" "I meant Mr. George Neston," said Neaera. "George!" exclaimed Tommy. "And I'll tell you why." And, in spite of Gerald's protest, she poured her tale of wrong into Tommy's sympathetic and wide-opened ears. "There! Don't tell any one else. Lord Tottlebury says we mustn't. I don't mind, for myself, who knows it." Tommy was overwhelmed. His mind refused to act. "He's a lunatic!" he declared. "I don't believe it's safe to live with him. He'll cut my throat, or something." "Oh no; his lunacy is under control--a well-trained, obedient lunacy," said Neaera, relapsing into mystery. "We all hope," said Gerald, "he'll soon find out his mistake, and nothing need come of it. Keep your mouth shut, my boy." "All right. I'm silent as the cold tomb. But I'm da----" "Have some more tea?" said Neaera, smiling very graciously. Should she not reward so warm a champion? When the two young men took their leave and walked away together, Tommy vied even with Gerald in the loudness of his indignation. "A lie! Of course it is, though I don't mean that old George don't believe it--the old ass! Why, the mere fact of her insisting on telling me about it is enough. She wouldn't do that if it's true." "Of course not," assented Gerald. "She'd be all for hushing it up." Gerald agreed again. "It's purely for George's sake we are so keen to keep it quiet," he added. "Though, of course, Neaera even wouldn't want it all over the town." "I suppose I'd better tell George I know?"