“Frederic has proposed to and been accepted by Jessie Clibran-Bell.”
“A very estimable young woman, though she has no sense of humour.”
“Frederic is also entangled . . .”
“With the daughter of a lodging-house keeper.”
“You knew that?”
“Yes. I knew that.”
“You can imagine then what pain and sorrow this must have caused me.”
“Yes. It is always distressing to find fiction overturned by facts.”
“You do not condemn Frederic?”
“It is surely one of the first principles of religion to condemn nobody.”