I ... I am very sorry , old friend , for reacting so selfishly to your trying to help me . " I breathed a sigh of relief and felt the perspiration of nervousness ( or from the inferno I had rather stupidly just created in our fireplace ) trickle down my neck and hit my collar . I had said the rehearsed words - rehearsed the entire way back in the cab , I might add - and it was over with , thank heaven . Perhaps I should make a habit of regularly apologising for things ... it gave one a rather good , almost ... clean ... feeling inside .

Question: What may have happened after speaking the rehearsed lines ?
I would feel very relieved .