“He sleeps here, at this hotel. He left the house to Madame de Rouaillout. I bear witness to that.”
“You two seem to have made your preparations to stand a criminal trial.”
“It is pure truth, my lord.”
“Do you take me to be anxious about the fellow’s virtue?”
“She is a lady who would please you.”
“A scandal in my house does not please me.”
“The only approach to a scandal was made by Captain Baskelett.”
“A poor devil locked out of his bed on a Winter’s night hullabaloos with pretty good reason. I suppose he felt the contrast.”
“My lord, this lady did me the honour to come to me on a visit. I have not previously presumed to entertain a friend. She probably formed no estimate of my exact position.”
The earl with a gesture implied Rosamund’s privilege to act the hostess to friends.