SUB JUDICE Well, I made a belated attempt to earn my young friend's good opinion.

I kept out of his way after dinner, and went in search of Quinby instead.
I felt I had a crow of my own to pluck with this gentleman, who owed to my timely intervention a far greater immunity than he deserved.

It was in the little billiard-room I found him, pachydermatously applauding the creditable attempts of Sir John Sankey at the cannon game, and as studiously ignoring the excellent shots of an undistinguished clergyman who was beating the judge.

Quinby made room for me beside him, with a civility which might have caused me some compunction, but I repaid him by coming promptly to my point.
"What's this report about Mrs.Lascelles ?" I asked, not angrily at all, for naturally my feeling in the matter was not so strong as Bob's, but with a certain contemptuous interest, if a man can judge of his own outward manner from his inner temper at the time.
Quinby favoured me with a narrow though a sidelong look; the room was very full, and in the general chit-chat, punctuated by the constant clicking of the heavy balls, there was very little danger of our being overheard.

But Quinby was careful to lower his voice.
"It's perfectly true," said he, "if you mean about her being divorced." "Yes, that was what I heard; but who started the report ?" "Who started it.