Пробный камень

           Theimpulsewasstrongenoughtocarryhimtothewindow;butthereareactionofdefiancesetin.Whathadhedone,afterall,toneeddefenceandexplanation?BothDreshamandFlamelhad,inhishearing,declaredthepublicationoftheletterstobenotonlyjustifiablebutobligatory;andifthedisinterestednessofFlamel’sverdictmightbequestioned,Dresham’satleastrepresentedtheimpartialviewofthemanofletters.AstoAlexa’swords,theyweresimplytheconventionalutteranceofthe“nice”womanonaquestionalreadydecidedforherbyother“nice”women.Shehadsaidtheproperthingasmechanicallyasshewouldhaveputontheappropriategownorwrittenthecorrectformofdinner-invitation.Glennardhadsmallfaithintheabstractjudgmentsoftheothersex;heknewthathalfthewomenwhowerehorrifiedbythepublicationofMrs.Aubyn’sletterswouldhavebetrayedhersecretswithoutascruple.

           Thesuddenloweringofhisemotionalpitchbroughtaproportionaterelief.Hetoldhimselfthatnowtheworstwasoverandthingswouldfallintoperspectiveagain.HiswifeandFlamelhadturnedtoothertopics,andcomingoutontheveranda,hehandedthecigarstoFlamel,saying,cheerfully—andyethecouldhavesworntheywerethelastwordshemeanttoutter!—“Lookhere,oldman,beforeyougodowntoNewportyoumustcomeoutandspendafewdayswithus—mustn’the,Alexa?”