“Certainly, Mr. Chicknell; most undoubtedly—happiness, contentment, peace of mind, or whatever other term you may choose to make use of to convey my meaning. We will not quarrel about words, which, after all, are but signs or symbols for the expression of ideas, passions, or sentiments.”
“I understand your meaning. Pray proceed, my lord.”
“Well, then, to begin with. I, as you already know, have placed my grand-daughter under the charge of an accomplished lady, who has so well instructed her that she is now well versed in all the usages of good society. So much so, indeed, that she is pretty generally acknowledged to be, if not a highly-cultivated, certainly a well-bred young woman.”
“No one in the world would attempt to dispute that, my lord.”
“This being so, it is desirable that she should never have the chance to return to her husband, or any of his associates. Consequently, a legal separation is an imperative necessity.”
When the earl had come to this part of his discourse he regarded his companion with a look which seemed to pierce him through.
“Ah,” murmured the lawyer to himself, “he’s boring at the old subject.”
“Do you hear what I say? An imperative necessity!”
“Certainly, my lord. The chief question is, how it is to be accomplished.”
“It is easy enough if set about in a proper manner. Have you seen this young Gatliffe?”