Here Caffyn interrupted her: he had made up his mind the only thing he could do with his secret now was to use it to spike the enemy's guns. Mabel was rash enough to insist on an explanation: she should have it. 'One moment,' he said. 'If you still insist on it, I will repeat what I said presently. I was trying to prepare Mrs. Ashburn for a very painful disclosure,' he explained to Mrs. Featherstone--'a disclosure which, considering my position in the family, I felt it would be my duty to make before long. I could not possibly foresee that she would take it like this. If you think a little, Mrs. Ashburn, I am sure you will see that this is not the time or place for a very delicate and unpleasant business.' 'He pretends that Mark is an impostor--that he knows some secret of his!' Mabel broke in vehemently. 'He did not speak of it as he tries to make you believe ... he threatened me!' 'Dear Mr. Ashburn, whom we all know so well, an impostor--with a secret! You said that to Mabel?' cried Mrs. Featherstone. 'Why, you must be mad to talk in that dreadful way--quite mad!' 'My dear Mrs. Featherstone, I assure you I'm perfectly sane,' he replied. 'The real truth is that the world has been grossly deceived all this time--no one more so than yourself; but I do beg you not to force me to speak here, where we might be interrupted at any moment, and besides, in ordinary consideration to Mrs. Ashburn----' 'You did not consider me very much just now,' she broke in. 'I have told you that I am not afraid to hear--you cannot get out of it in that way!' Mabel was well enough aware that Mark was not flawless, but the idea that he could be capable of a dishonourable action was grotesque and monstrous to her, and the only way she could find to punish the man who could conceive such a charge was to force him to declare it openly. Mrs. Featherstone's curiosity and alarm had been strongly roused. She had taken up this young novelist, her name was publicly connected with his--if there was anything wrong about him, ought she not to know it? 'My love,' she said to Mabel, taking her hands, 'you know I don't believe a word of all this--it is some strange mistake, I am sure of it, but it ought, perhaps, to be cleared up. If I were to speak to Mr. Caffyn alone now!' 'I shall be very willing,' said Caffyn. 'No!' said Mabel, eagerly, 'if he has anything to say, let him say it here--Mark must not be stabbed in the dark!' 'It's simply impossible to speak here,' said Caffyn. 'People may come in at any moment through those doors as soon as this waltz is over. Mrs. Featherstone will not thank either of us for making a scene.' 'The doors can be locked,' cried Mabel. 'There need be no scene. _May_ they be locked, dear Mrs. Featherstone? He has said too much to be silent any longer: he _must_ speak now!'