A kind of horror chilled my rising anger, and I was silent.
'You see, my dear Maud, it is very natural you should think I hate you.
When I was with Mr. Austin Ruthyn, at Knowl, you know you did not like a
me--never. But in consequence of our intimacy I confide you that which I
'av of most dear in the world, my reputation. It is always so. The pupil
can _calomniate_, without been discover, the gouvernante. 'Av I not been
always kind to you, Maud? Which 'av I use of violence or of sweetness the
most? I am, like other persons, _jalouse de ma reputation_; and it was
difficult to suffer with patience the banishment which was invoked by you,
because chiefly for your good, and for an indiscretion to which I was
excited by motives the most pure and laudable. It was you who spied so
cleverly--eh! and denounce me to Monsieur Ruthyn? Helas! wat bad world it
is!'
'I do not mean to speak at all about that occurrence, Madame; I will not
discuss it. I dare say what you tell me of the cause of your engagement
here is true, and I suppose we must travel, as you say, in company; but
you must know that the less we see of each other while in this house the
better.
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