But so far as any unguarded words of
mine may have set things going in my absence--well, I'm sorry.
A man can't say fairer than that, can he? . . . And I've
suffered for it, too,' he added; 'if that's any consolation to
you.'
"'Suffered, have you?' I asked.
"'What, haven't you heard?' He was surprised.--Yes, Roddy,
genuinely. 'Well, now I won't say it was all owing to that
little affair at the Silversmiths' College. . . . There were
other--er--circumstances. In fact there was what-you-might-call
a combination of circumstances. The upshot of which was that I
had a safe seat and took a bad toss out of it. No, I don't
harbour no feelings against you, Doctor Foe. I'm a sociable,
easy-going sort of fellow, and not above owning up to a mistake
when I've made one. . . . I stung you up again just now, wishing
you joy of your luck: meaning no more than your winnings at the
tables. Not being touchy myself, I dessay it comes easy to
advise a man not to be touchy. But what I say is, we're both
down on our luck for the time, and we're both here to forget it.
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