ThenyoungGarvell，givingwaybeforemyslogging，stumbledandfelloverabigflint，andI，stillfollowingthetraditionofmyclassandschool，promptlyflungmyselfonhimtofinishhim。Wewerebusywitheachotheronthegroundwhenwebecameawareofadreadfulinterruption。
“Shutup，youFOOL！”saidArchie。
“Oh，LadyDrew！”IheardBeatricecry。“They’refighting！
They’refightingsomethingawful！”
Ilookedovermyshoulder。Archie’swishtogetupbecameirresistible，andmyresolvetogoonwithhimvanishedaltogether。
Ibecameawareofthetwooldladies，presencesofblackandpurplesilkandfurandshiningdarkthings；theyhadwalkedupthroughtheWarren，whilethehorsestookthehilleasily，andsohadcomeuponus。Beatricehadgonetothematoncewithanairoftakingrefuge，andstoodbesideandalittlebehindthem。Webothrosedejectedly。Thetwooldladieswereevidentlyquitedreadfullyshocked，andpeeringatuswiththeirpooroldeyes；
andneverhadIseensuchatremblementinLadyDrew’slorgnettes。
“You’veneverbeenfighting？“saidLadyDrew。
“Youhavebeenfighting。”
“Itwasn’tproperfighting。”snappedArchie，withaccusingeyesonme。
“It’sMrs。Ponderevo’sGeorge！”saidMissSomerville，soaddingaconvictionforingratitudetomyevidentsacrilege。
“HowcouldheDARE？”criedLadyDrew，becomingveryawful。
“Hebroketherules“saidArchie，sobbingforbreath。“I
slipped，and——hehitmewhileIwasdown。Hekneltonme。”
“HowcouldyouDARE？”saidLadyDrew。
Iproducedanexperiencedhandkerchiefrolledupintoatightball，andwipedthebloodfrommychin，butIofferednoexplanationofmydaring。Amongotherthingsthatpreventedthat，Iwastooshortofbreath。
“Hedidn’tfightfair。”sobbedArchie。
Beatrice，frombehindtheoldladies，regardedmeintentlyandwithouthostility。Iaminclinedtothinkthemodificationofmyfacethroughthedamagetomylipinterestedher。ItbecamedimlyapparenttomyconfusedintelligencethatImustnotsaythesetwohadbeenplayingwithme。Thatwouldnotbeaftertherulesoftheirgame。Iresolvedinthisdifficultsituationuponasulkysilence，andtotakewhateverconsequencesmightfollow。
ThepowersofjusticeinBladesovermadeanextraordinarymessofmycase。
IhaveregretfullytoadmitthattheHonourableBeatriceNormandydid，attheageoften，betrayme，abandonme，andliemostabominablyaboutme。Shewas，asamatteroffact，panic-strickenaboutme，consciencestrickentoo；sheboltedfromtheverythoughtofmybeingheraffiancedloverandsoforth，fromthefaintestmemoryofkissing；shewasindeedaltogetherdisgracefulandhumaninherbetrayal。Sheandherhalf-brotherliedinperfectconcord，andIwaspresentedasawantonassailantofmysocialbetters。TheywerewaitingaboutintheWarren，whenIcameupandspoketothem，etc。
Onthewhole，InowperceiveLadyDrew’sdecisionswere，inthelightoftheevidence，reasonableandmerciful。
Theywereconveyedtomebymymother，whowas，Ireallybelieve，evenmoreshockedbythegrossnessofmysocialinsubordinationthanLadyDrew。Shedilatedonherladyship’skindnessestome，ontheeffronteryandwickednessofmyprocedure，andsocameatlasttothetermsofmypenance。“YoumustgouptoyoungMr。
Garvell，andbeghispardon。”
“Iwon’tbeghispardon。”Isaid，speakingforthefirsttime。
Mymotherpaused，incredulous。
Ifoldedmyarmsonhertable-cloth，anddeliveredmywickedlittleultimatum。“Iwon’tbeghispardonnohow。”Isaid。
“See？”
“ThenyouwillhavetogoofftoyouruncleFrappatChatham。”
“Idon’tcarewhereIhavetogoorwhatIhavetodo，Iwon’tbeghispardon。”Isaid。
AndIdidn’t。
AfterthatIwasoneagainsttheworld。Perhapsinmymother’shearttherelurkedsomepityforme，butshedidnotshowit。
Shetookthesideoftheyounggentleman；shetriedhard，shetriedveryhard，tomakemesayIwassorryIhadstruckhim。
Sorry！
Icouldn’texplain。
SoIwentintoexileinthedog-carttoRedwoodstation，withJukesthecoachman，coldlysilent，drivingme，andallmypersonalbelongingsinasmallAmericanclothportmanteaubehind。
IfeltIhadmuchtoembitterme；thegamehadandthebeginningsoffairnessbyanystandardsIknew。ButthethingthatembitteredmemostwasthattheHonourableBeatriceNormandyshouldhaverepudiatedandfledfrommeasthoughIwassomesortofleper，andnotevenhavetakenachanceorso，togivemeagood-bye。Shemighthavedonethatanyhow！SupposingIhadtoldonher！Butthesonofaservantcountsasaservant。Shehadforgottenandnowremembered。
IsolacedmyselfwithsomeextraordinarydreamofcomingbacktoBladesover，stern，powerful，afterthefashionofCoriolanus。I
donotrecallthedetails，butIhavenodoubtIdisplayedgreatmagnanimity。
Well，anyhowIneversaidIwassorryforpoundingyoungGarvell，andIamnotsorrytothisday。
WhenIwasthusbanishedfromBladesoverHouse，asitwasthenthoughtforgoodandall，Iwassentbymymotherinavindictivespirit，firsttohercousinNicodemusFrapp，andthen，asafullyindenturedapprentice，tomyunclePonderevo。
IranawayfromthecareofmycousinNicodemusbacktoBladesoverHouse。
MycousinNicodemusFrappwasabakerinabackstreet——aslumrather——justoffthatmiserablenarrowmeanhighroadthatthreadsthoseexquisitebeads，RochesterandChatham。Hewas，I
mustadmit，ashocktome，muchdominatedbyayoung，plump，prolific，malingeringwife；abent，slow-moving，unwillingdarkmanwithflourinhishairandeyelashes，inthelinesofhisfaceandtheseamsofhiscoat。I’veneverhadachancetocorrectmyearlyimpressionofhim，andhestillremainsanalmostdreadfulmemory，asortofcaricatureofincompetentsimplicity。AsIrememberhim，indeed，hepresentedtheserviletraditionperfected。Hehadnoprideinhisperson；fineclothesanddressingupwasn’t“forthelikesof“him，sothathegothiswife，whowasnoartistatit，tocuthisblackhairatirregularintervals，andlethisnailsbecomedisagreeabletothefastidiouseye；hehadnoprideinhisbusinessnoranyinitiative；hisonlyvirtueswerenotdoingcertainthingsandhardwork。“Youruncle。”saidmymother——allgrown-upcousinswereunclesbycourtesyamongtheVictorianmiddle-class——“isn’tmuchtolookatortalkto，buthe’saGoodHard-WorkingMan。”
Therewasasortofbasehonourablenessabouttoil，howeverneedless，inthatsystemofinversion。Anotherpointofhonourwastoriseatorbeforedawn，andthenlaboriouslymuddleabout。
ItwasverydistinctlyimpressedonmymindthattheGoodHard-WorkingManwouldhavethoughtit“fal-lallish“toownapockethandkerchief。PooroldFrapp——dirtyandcrushedby，productof，Bladesover’smagnificence！Hemadenofightagainsttheworldatall，hewasflounderinginsmalldebtsthatwerenotsosmallbutthatfinallytheyoverwhelmedhim，whenevertherewasoccasionforanyexertionhiswifefellbackuponpainsandher“condition。”andGodsentthemmanychildren，mostofwhomdied，andso，bytheircomingandgoing，gaveadoubleexerciseinthevirtuesofsubmission。
