Alfred was already beginning to fumble fiercely in his breast-pocket. Peter felt the time had arrived for plain speaking; he could not submit to be butchered under a ridiculous misapprehension of this kind. "Listen to me!" he said eagerly, "before you do anything rash, or you may bitterly regret it afterwards. I do assure you that I am the victim--we are _all_ the victims of a series of unfortunate cheques--I should say, mistakes. It's absurd to make me responsible for the irregular proceedings of a nonsensical Bank. If I had spent my time as I ought to have done _at_ the time, instead of putting it out on deposit, I should never have dreamed of employing it in any kind of philandering!" "That," said Sophia, "is undeniable: but you spent it as you ought _not_ to have done!" "Such a speech comes ill from you," he said, reproachfully, "after having expressly condoned the past; and, however I may have appeared to philander, I can conscientiously declare that my sentiments towards both of these young ladies--_both_, you understand--have been restricted to a respectful and--and merely friendly esteem.... Don't shoot, Alfred!... I thought that was quite understood on all sides. Only have a little more patience, Alfred, and I will undertake to convince even you that I could not for a moment have contemplated depriving you of the hand of this extremely charming and attractive lady, who will _not_ let go my arm.... I--I am a married man!" "Married!" shrieked Miss Davenport, cowering back. "Married!" exclaimed Miss Tyrrell, as she hid her face upon her father's shoulder. "Married!" shouted the Judge. "By heavens, sir, you shall account to me for this!" "Married!" cried Sophia. "Oh, Peter, I was _not_ prepared for this! When? Where?" "_When? Where?_" he echoed. "You were not prepared for it? Perhaps you will ask me next who my wife is!" "I shall not indeed," said Sophia, "for I have no longer the slightest curiosity on such a subject!" Peter collapsed upon the nearest bench. "Sophia?" he cried hoarsely, "why keep this up any longer? Surely it is gone far enough--you _can't_ pretend you don't know!" But while he spoke the words, he saw suddenly that his attempt to force her hand was hopeless: she was quite sincere in her surprise; she was the Sophia of _six months ago_, and no amount of explanation could ever make her comprehend what had happened since that time! And here Alfred broke his silence. "What you have just confessed," he said, "removes my last scruple. I might, for all I can tell, have stayed my hand and spared your life upon your promise to make Maud happy; for, in spite of her treatment of me, her happiness is still my first consideration. But now you have declared that impossible,--why, as soon as I can get this revolver out of my pocket--for it has stuck in the confounded lining--I will shoot you like a rabbit!"