Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 1.djvu/170

158 This latter clause was added in a sort of soliloquy when Rose was gone; but I was not polite enough to let it pass:

"Will you be so good as to tell me what you mean, Miss Wilson?" said I.

The question startled her a little, but not much.

"Why Mr. Markham," replied she coolly, having quickly recovered her self-possession, "it surprises me rather that Mrs. Markham should invite such a person as Mrs. Graham to her house; but, perhaps, she is not aware that the lady's character is considered scarcely respectable."

"She is not, nor am I; and therefore, you would oblige me by explaining your meaning a little further."

"This is scarcely the time or the place for such explanations; but I think you can hardly be so ignorant as you pretend: you must know her as well as I do."

"I think I do, perhaps a little better; and