Let her ladyship
decide, after that, whether she does, or does not, allow me to go on. I
shall then have done what I undertook to do--and I'll take my fee."
In those words Sergeant Cuff reminded us that, even in the Detective
Police, a man may have a reputation to lose.
The view he took was so plainly the right one, that there was no more
to be said. As I rose to conduct him to my lady's room, he asked if Mr.
Franklin wished to be present. Mr. Franklin answered, "Not unless Lady
Verinder desires it." He added, in a whisper to me, as I was following
the Sergeant out, "I know what that man is going to say about Rachel;
and I am too fond of her to hear it, and keep my temper. Leave me by
myself."
I left him, miserable enough, leaning on the sill of my window, with his
face hidden in his hands and Penelope peeping through the door, longing
to comfort him. In Mr. Franklin's place, I should have called her in.
When you are ill-used by one woman, there is great comfort in telling it
to another--because, nine times out of ten, the other always takes your
side. Perhaps, when my back was turned, he did call her in? In that case
it is only doing my daughter justice to declare that she would stick at
nothing, in the way of comforting Mr.
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