he at once looked heartily embarrassed , when the remark had escaped him ; but laurence was in no way inclined to wait for him to withdraw , and said angrily , `` it would grieve me indeed to be forced to impute any un-gentlemanlike motive - any selfish consideration , which might prompt a gentleman to make remarks so nearly intolerable upon the character and respectability of a clergyman 's wife , and a mother , wholly unknown to him and therefore offering no grounds whatsoever to merit his scorn - save perhaps as an alternative , preferable to the examination of his own conscience - `` the door flung open without a knock ; berkley thrust his head into the cabin .