Brope would not dream of doing such a
thing."
"His dreams are a matter of indifference to me; for all I care his
slumbers may be one long indiscretion of unsuitable erotic
advances, in which the entire servants' hall may be involved. But
in his waking hours he shall not make love to my maid. It's no
use arguing about it, I'm firm on the point."
"But you must be mistaken," persisted Mrs. Riversedge; "Mr. Brope
would be the last person to do such a thing."
"He is the first person to do such a thing, as far as my
information goes, and if I have any voice in the matter he
certainly shall be the last. Of course, I am not referring to
respectably-intentioned lovers."
"I simply cannot think that a man who writes so charmingly and
informingly about transepts and Byzantine influences would behave
in such an unprincipled manner," said Mrs. Riversedge; "what
evidence have you that he's doing anything of the sort? I don't
want to doubt your word, of course, but we mustn't he too ready to
condemn him unheard, must we?"
"Whether we condemn him or not, he has certainly not been unheard.
He has the room next to my dressing-room, and on two occasions,
when I dare say he thought I was absent, I have plainly heard him
announcing through the wall, 'I love you, Florrie.
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