Even the fine upstanding figure before me was no longer sharp enough to be expressive.
"I have been harking back," explained Mrs.Lascelles, eventually.

"Now I begin to follow.

You saw his mother, you heard a report, and you volunteered or at least consented to come out and keep an eye on the dear boy, as you say yourself.

Am I not more or less right so far, Captain Clephane ?" Her tone was frozen honey.
"More or less," I admitted ironically.
"Of course, I don't know what report that other miserable young man may have carried home with him.

I don't want to know.