After a pause he spoke again, still without turning.

"If that was not enough to suit your ends"-- and though he spoke in a tone of ever-increasing sadness, there glinted through it the faintest ray of mockery--"I marvel you should have come to Zoyland--to compromise yourself to so little purpose." She raised a startled face.

"Com...

compromise myself ?" she echoed.
"Oh!" It was a cry of indignation.
"What else ?" quoth he, and turned abruptly to confront her.
"Mistress Horton was.., was with me," she panted, her voice quivering as on the brink of tears.
"'Tis unfortunate you should have separated," he condoled.
"But.., but, Mr.Wilding, I...

I trusted to your honour.