" His manner was severe. his eyes stern. Sir
Terence was conscious of a quickening of his pulses. Nevertheless
his answer was calmly regretful:
"I am afraid not."
The great man nodded. "Disgraceful! I heard of it from Fletcher
this morning. Captain What's-his-name had just reported himself
under arrest, I understand, and Fletcher had received a note from
you giving the grounds for this. The deplorable part of these
things is that they always happen in the most troublesome manner
conceivable. In Berkeley's case the victim was a nephew of the
Patriarch's. Samoval, now, was a person of even greater
consequence, a close friend of several members of the Council.
His death will be deeply resented, and may set up fresh
difficulties. It is monstrous vexatious." And abruptly he asked
"What did they quarrel about?"
O'Moy trembled, and his glance avoided the other's gimlet eye.
"The only quarrel that I am aware of between them," he said, "was
concerned with this very enactment of your lordship's. Samoval
proclaimed it infamous, and Tremayne resented the term. Hot words
passed between them, but the altercation was allowed to go no
further at the time by myself and others who were present.
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