These facts, which gave Lady Byron's conduct a certain superficial coherence, were gradually elicited. For the moment, however, the only fact which Hobhouse had before him was the ultimatum and Lady Byron's endorsement of it. Of Lady Byron's reasons he knew nothing; and he had no grounds for suspecting any other motives than the word "tantrums" would cover. He proceeded, as did all Byron's supporters, on the assumption that the word "tantrums" did, in fact, cover them; and a fusillade of letters ensued. One cannot quote them all, but their contents can easily be summed up. From Byron's side there issued appeals for reconciliation, for explanations, for specific charges, for personal interviews; from Lady Byron's side there came refusals either to give reasons or to parley, and reiterated statements that her mind was unalterably made up. "I must decline your visit and all discussion," was what Lady Byron wrote to Hobhouse on February 7; and on the same day she wrote to Byron himself: "I have finally determined on the measure of a separation.... Every expression of feeling, sincerely as it might be made, would be misplaced." The letter apparently crossed one from Byron to Sir Ralph Noel, in which he said that his house was still open to Lady Byron, that he must not debase himself to "implore as a suppliant the restoration of a reluctant wife," but that it was her duty to return, and that he knew of no reason why she should not do so. On the following day Byron addressed a further appeal to Lady Byron herself: "Will you see me--when and where you please--in whose presence you please?" and, almost as he was writing, he received another communication from Sir Ralph Noel, threatening legal proceedings "until a final separation is effected." February 13 brought the letter in which Lady Byron stated that she had excused Byron's conduct in the belief that he was mad, but that she could not excuse it now that she had received assurance of his sanity. She added: "I have consistently fulfilled my duty as your wife; it was too dear to be resigned till it was hopeless. Now my resolution cannot be changed." Byron rejoined on February 15: "I have invited your return; it has been refused. I have requested to know with what I am charged; it is refused."