The rights of individual manhood were, as he angrily perceived, likely to be recognized by her spirit, if only they were stoutly asserted; and that in defiance of station, of reason, of all the ideas inculcated by education and society.
"I believe she'll expect me to fight him," he exclaimed.

At least, he knew she would despise him if he avoided the brutal challenge without some show of dignity.
On rising from the table, he drew Algernon aside.

It was an insufferable thought that he was compelled to take his brainless cousin into his confidence, even to the extent of soliciting his counsel, but there was no help for it.

In vain Edward asked himself why he had been such an idiot as to stain his hands with the affair at all.

He attributed it to his regard for Algernon.