"
"Your wife!" exclaimed the colonel, his anger blazing out at the word. "If
you use that expression with any prospective reference to Miss Cathcart, I
am master enough in my own family to insure you full possession of the
presumption. I wish you good morning."
The angry man of war turned on his slippered heel, and was striding away.
"One word, I beg," said Harry.
The colonel had too much courtesy in his nature not to stop and turn half
towards the speaker.
"I beg to assure you," said Harry, "that I shall continue to cherish the
hope that after-thoughts will present my conduct, as well as myself, in a
more favourable light to Colonel Cathcart."
And he lifted his hat, and walked away by the gate.
"By Jove!" said the colonel, to himself, notwithstanding the rage he was
in, "the fellow can express himself like a gentleman, anyhow."
And so he went back to his room, where I heard him pacing about for hours.
I believe he found that his better self was not to be so easily put down
as he had supposed; and that that better self sided with Adela and Harry.
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