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Updated: June 17, 2025
Durrance could not remember that he had ever detected any signs of cowardice in Harry Feversham, and the charge startled him perpetually into incredulity. But the fact remained. Something had happened on the night of the ball at Lennon House, and from that date Harry had been an outcast. Suppose that a white feather had been forwarded to Lennon House, and had been opened in Ethne's presence?
Durrance had spoken slowly and very thoughtfully. Did he mean to refer to Harry Feversham, Sutch wondered. Did he know enough to be able so to refer to him? Or was it merely by chance that his words were so strikingly apposite? "Compensations of what kind?" Sutch asked uneasily. "The chance of knowing himself for one thing, for the chief thing.
He fell to wondering again what object had brought Durrance into Hampshire, since he did not come for information; but Durrance did not immediately enlighten him. They reached the lieutenant's house. It stood alone by the roadside looking across a wide country of downs.
There had been an accent of wariness and caution in his voice, which was hatefully familiar to Durrance's ears, for just with that accent Ethne had been wont to speak. Moreover, Durrance had set traps, that remark of his "for no obvious reason, I think I said," had been one, and a little start here, or a quick turn there, showed him that Willoughby had tumbled into them.
Mather thought the taste unaccountable, but he knew nevertheless that, however unaccountable in itself, it accounted for his companion's rapid promotion and success. Sympathy had stood Durrance in the stead of much ability.
Then Durrance walked round to the back of her chair. "You once said that you would perhaps tell me why your engagement was broken off." "But you know," she said. "What you said at the window showed that you knew." "No, I do not. One or two words your father let drop. He asked me for news of Feversham the last time that I spoke with him. But I know nothing definite. I should like you to tell me."
Durrance drew back a step from the window, and for a little while was silent. "Where has she gone?" he asked at length. "Into the garden. She ran across the terrace and down the steps very quickly and silently. I saw her from my chair. Then I heard you speaking alone." "Can you see her now in the garden?" "No; she went across the lawn towards the trees and their great shadows.
"Will you tell me it?" Durrance assented, and began in the deliberate voice of a man who has thought out his subject, knows it by heart, and has decided, moreover, the order of words by which it will be most lucidly developed. "I know what blindness means to all men a growing, narrowing egotism unless one is perpetually on one's guard. And will one be perpetually on one's guard?
She would have to face Ethne, and she dreaded the moment when her companion's frank eyes would rest quietly upon hers and her lips demand an explanation. It was consequently a relief to her at first that no outward change was visible in the relations of Ethne and Durrance.
It would be hard for Durrance, no doubt, but that could not be helped. "Then how did you learn the story?" asked Sutch. "Some one else told me. I was told that Willoughby had come, and that he had brought a white feather, and that Ethne had taken it from him. Never mind by whom. That gave me a clue. I lay in wait for Willoughby in London.
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