"I supposed," he said, thoughtfully, "it might have been something like that. Women _are_ queer. You think you know them, and then--" He paused, confession hovering on his lips, but some delicacy restrained him.
"Women, Jerry, are the flavoring of society; I regret that I have a poor digestion for sauces. I hope yours will be better."
He laughed. "Poor Roger; was she _very_ pretty?"
"I can't remember. Probably. Calf love seldom considers anything else--prettiness! Yes she was pretty."
He was silent. Once I thought he was about to speak, but he refrained, and when he deftly turned the topic, I knew that any chance I might have had to help him had passed. I understood, of course, and I could not help respecting his delicacy. Jerry was in for some hard knocks, I feared, harder ones than Clancy had given him.
He went to bed presently and I sat by the lamp alternately reading and thinking of Jerry, comparing him with myself in that long-distant romance of my own. They were not unlike, these two women, pretty little self-worshipers, born to deceit and chicanery, with clever talents for concealing their ignorance, hiding the emptiness of their hearts with pretty tricks of coquetry. But Marcia was the more dangerous, a clean body and an unclean mind. A half-virgin! I would have given much to know what had recently passed between Marcia and Jerry. If there was any way to bring about a disillusionment--
As though in answer to my enigma, at this moment Christopher came down from Jerry's room on his way below stairs. I stopped him and taking him into my study closed the door.
"You're very fond of Master Jerry, Christopher?" I asked.
"So am I, Christopher. I think you know that, don't you?"
"Why, yes, sir. You've been a father to 'im, sir. Nobody knows that better than me, sir."
"We'd both go through fire and water for him, wouldn't we, Christopher?"
"Oh, yes, sir; an' if you please, sir, what with these prize fighters at the Manor an' all, I rather think we 'ave, sir."
"A bad business, but over for good, I think, Christopher. But there are other things, worse in a way--"
I paused, scrutinizing the man's homely, impassive face.
"Did Master Jerry do much drinking before he went into training, Christopher?"