"In the civil and military life on this side of the world there are many situations which we perforce must tolerate. But these, mind you, are settled conditions. It is upon new ones which arise that we pass judgment. I knew nothing about you, nothing whatever. So I judged you according to the rules." Elsa leaned upon her elbows, and she smiled a little as she noted that the purple had gone from his nose and that it had resumed its accustomed rubicundity. "I go on. A woman who travels alone, who does not present letters of introduction, who . . ." "Who attends strictly to her own affairs. Go on." "Who is young and beautiful." "A sop! Thanks!" Imperturbably he continued: "Who seeks the acquaintance of men who do not belong, as you Americans say." "Not men; one man," she corrected. "A trifling difference. Well, it arouses a disagreeable word, suspicion. For look, there have been examples. It isn't as if yours were an isolated case. There have been examples, and these we apply to such affairs as come under our notice." "And it doesn't matter that you may be totally wrong?" His prompt answer astonished her. "No, it does not matter in the least. Simmered down, it may be explained in a word, appearances. And I must say, to the normal mind . . ." "The mediocre mind." "To the normal and mediocre mind, appearances were against you. Observe, please, that I did not know I was wrong, that you were a remarkable young woman. My deductions were made from what I saw as an outsider. On the Irrawaddy you made the acquaintance of a man who came out here a fugitive from justice. After you made his acquaintance, you sought none other, in fact, repelled any advances. This alone decided me." "Then you were decided?" To say that this blunt exposition was not bitter to her taste, that it did not act like acid upon her pride, would not be true. She was hurt, but she did not let the hurt befog her sense of justice. From his point of view the colonel was in no fault. "Let me tell you how very wrong you were indeed." "Doubtless," he hastily interposed, "you enveloped the man in a cloud of romance." "On the contrary, I spoke to him and sought his companionship because he was nothing more nor less than a ghost." "Ah! Is it possible that you knew him in former times?" "No. But he was so like the man at home; so identical in features and build to the man I expected to go home to marry. . . ." "My dear young lady, you are right. Mediocrity is without imagination, stupid, and makes the world a dull place indeed. Like the man you expect to marry! What woman in your place would have acted otherwise? And I have made my statements as bald and brutal as an examining magistrate! Instead of one apology I offer a thousand." "I accept each and all of them. More, I believe that you and I could get on capitally. I can very well imagine the soldier you used to be. I am going to ask you what you know about Mr. Warrington."