She is in a nervous, shaken state, mentally and physically, and before I had had time to discuss the point at all, she had carried it on to the personal ground, and the thing was up.' 'She is deeply offended, then ?' 'Not at all, in the ordinary sense; she is too fine a creature; but she talked of the "contempt" that you and I feel for her!' 'Good heavens!' cried Wallace, feeling most unjustly persuaded that his friend had bungled the matter horribly.
'Yes,' said Kendal deliberately; '"contempt," that was it.

I don't know how it came about.

All I know is, that what I said, which seemed to me very harmless, was like a match to a mine.

But she told me to tell you that she made no further claim on _Elvira_.

So the play is safe.' 'D---- the play!' cried Wallace vigorously, a sentiment to which perhaps Kendal's silence gave consent.