"I'm sure I do not know what you mean. One would think that I wished to deceive people, the way you talk. And after what I have done for you, too--it's most ungrateful."
"And pray what have you done, Lady James?"
"Don't call me Lady James; your stupid mistakes get on my nerves. Done? Why, I pretended to fall on the stair to excuse the state of my mouth. Had I been a nasty, spiteful creature such as you are, I should have given you in charge for assault."
"Give me in charge now," sneered the girl.
"I might. Don't drive me into a corner."
"You are inconsistent. If you have done nothing wrong, how can I drive you into the corner you speak of?"
"Because you are a monomaniac," retorted the Duchess, angrily; "you seem to think that I am the cause of the doctor's exile. I, of all people, who would not hurt a fly."
"You would hurt a dozen flies if anything was to be gained," snapped the other, irritably. "You betrayed my Constantine."
"I did nothing of the sort, as he will understand when he hears what I have to say."
"Hearing and believing are two different things, Lady James."