She hates
you; she wants your wife to hate you. She would like nothing better
than to go back to her mistress with the proofs in her hand of such
acts on your part--such acts, I say," he chose his next words
carefully, "as would keep her from you for ever."
"She's a devil, I dare say," said Lord Harry, carelessly. "What do I
care? What does it matter to me whether a lady's maid, more or less,
hates me or loves me?"
"There spoke the aristocrat. My lord, remember that a lady's maid is a
woman. You have been brought up to believe, perhaps, that people in
service are not men and women. That is a mistake--a great mistake.
Fanny Mere is a woman--that is to say, an inferior form of man; and
there is no man in the world so low or so base as not to be able to do
mischief. The power of mischief is given to every one of us. It is the
true, the only Equality of Man--we can all destroy. What? a shot in the
dark; the striking of a lucifer match; the false accusation; the false
witness; the defamation of character;--upon my word, it is far more
dangerous to be hated by a woman than by a man. And this excellent and
faithful Fanny, devoted to her mistress, hates you, my lord, even
more"--he paused and laughed--"even more than the charming Mrs.
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