"And what do you say about Mr. Ablewhite now?" I asked, with the utmost
possible gentleness, as soon as I had done.
"If Rachel has testified to his innocence, Miss Clack, I don't scruple
to say that I believe in his innocence as firmly as you do: I have been
misled by appearances, like the rest of the world; and I will make the
best atonement I can, by publicly contradicting the scandal which has
assailed your friend wherever I meet with it. In the meantime, allow me
to congratulate you on the masterly manner in which you have opened the
full fire of your batteries on me at the moment when I least expected
it. You would have done great things in my profession, ma'am, if you had
happened to be a man."
With those words he turned away from me, and began walking irritably up
and down the room.
I could see plainly that the new light I had thrown on the subject had
greatly surprised and disturbed him. Certain expressions dropped from
his lips, as he became more and more absorbed in his own thoughts, which
suggested to my mind the abominable view that he had hitherto taken of
the mystery of the lost Moonstone. He had not scrupled to suspect dear
Mr.
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