‘For the world to draw,’ interrupted Mrs. Willoughby; ’and doubtless he meant the world to draw it.  But you and I should know him better.’

‘Yes,’ Fielding admitted.  ‘Yes.’  He began to walk about the room.  ’But what’s the reason?  Drake’s action, if this statement is a libel, is the action of a madman.’

‘A madman?  Yes!  Don Quixote was mad even in his century,’ replied Mrs. Willoughby.  ’I can give you the reason.  Clarice was with him yesterday afternoon.’

‘Yesterday?’ said Fielding.  ’Why, I walked home with Drake from the City myself.’

‘But you didn’t go in with him.’

’No; I left him alone to arrange his speech.  He meant to mention this very charge.’

Mrs. Willoughby started to her feet.  ‘Then that settles it,’ she said.  ’Clarice was waiting for him in his rooms.  Oh, if you had only gone in with him!  You remember what I wrote to you, that he would lie in the mud if he thought it would save her.  Well, that is what he has done.  Clarice came here this very morning and told me what had happened.  She went to his chambers, determined never to return to her husband, prepared to sacrifice—­I give you her words, not mine—­to sacrifice herself, her name, and for his sake.  But when she showed him the Meteor her suspicions were aroused by his manner, and she forced the truth out of him.’

Fielding gave a short, contemptuous laugh.  ’Forced the truth out of him!  She actually told you that?’

’And what’s more, she believes it.  Oh the waste, the waste of a man like that upon a doll like her.  I suppose there’s nothing to be done?’

’Nothing; if he won’t defend himself, our defence won’t carry any weight,’ he went on, with a change of tone.  ’But I don’t see what real good he does, even to her.  She goes back to her husband now, but next month or next year there’ll be somebody else.’

‘Yes,’ replied Mrs. Willoughby; ’but I hardly fancy Stephen Drake would consider that.  I believe he would feel that he had no right to speculate on what may not happen.  He would just see this one clear, definite, immediate thing to do, and simply do it.’  She spoke the sentence with a slow emphasis upon each word, and Fielding moved uneasily.  It seemed to strike an accusation at him.  He braced himself to make the same confession to Mrs. Willoughby which he had made that afternoon before to Drake.  But, before he could speak it, Mrs. Willoughby put to him a question.  ‘Tell me, did he seem to mind much?’

‘No,’ Fielding answered with an air of relief.  His confession was deferred, if only for a minute.  ’He seemed cheerful enough.  The last thing he did,’ and he paused for a second, ’was to give me advice about the management of the Matanga Company.’

‘That’s so like him,’ she said gently.  Then she looked up with a start of interest.  ‘You are going to take his place?’ she asked.