"Would you care to tell a jury that this trance-medium is not your mistress?"
"I should not care to defend her on such a charge before a jury or before anybody. There are various ways of damning a woman; and to defend her from that accusation is one of them."
"And another way?"
"To admit the charge. Either ruin her in the eyes of the truly virtuous."
"What do you expect to do about it then? Keep silent?"
"That is still a third way of destroying a woman."
"Really? Then what are you going to do?"
"Whatever you wish," he said in a low voice, "as
long as you do not bring such a charge against Athalie Greensleeve."
"Would you set your signature to a paper?"