Mamma put down her knife and fork. Her lips opened and her face turned suddenly sharp and sallow as if she were going to faint.
"You don't mean to say you've gone over? Then God help poor Charlotte!"
Emilius steadied himself to speak. "Does Victor know?" he said.
"Yes. He knows."
"You have consulted him, and you have not consulted me?"
"You made me promise not to talk about it. I have kept my promise."
Mary was sure then that Aunt Lavvy had left the book open on purpose. She had laid a trap for Emilius, and he had fallen into it.
"If you will hold infamous opinions you must be made to keep them to yourself."
"I have a perfect right to my opinions."
"You have no right to make an open profession of them."