"You are not his sisters."
"If I were engaged to him, to be his wife?—" said Madame Goesler, standing up. "I am not so. There is nothing of that kind. You must not misunderstand me. But if I were?"
"On that plea I presume you could be admitted."
"Why not as a friend? Lord Chiltern is admitted as his friend."
"Because of the prudery of a prison," said the Duchess. "All things are wrong to the lookers after wickedness, my dear. If it would comfort him to see us, why should he not have that comfort?"
"Would you have gone to him in his own lodgings?" asked Mr. Low.
"I would,—if he'd been ill," said Madame Goesler.
"Madam," said Mr. Low, speaking with a gravity which for a moment had its effect even upon the Duchess of Omnium, "I think, at any rate, that if you visit Mr. Finn in prison, you should do so through the instrumentality of his Grace, your husband."
"Of course you suspect me of all manner of evil."
"I suspect nothing;—but I am sure that it should be so."