'I am almost sure he would not, and yet one never can tell. I think at
the present moment there are one or two noble lords in prison, but
their crimes have not been mere vulgar housebreaking.'
'Am I to infer, Lady Alicia, that you are in possession of certain
facts unknown either to your uncle or the police?'
'Yes.'
'Pardon me, but do these facts tend to incriminate the young man?'
Again the young lady leaned back in her chair, and gazed past me, a
wrinkle of perplexity on her fair brow. Then she said very slowly:--
'You will understand, Monsieur Valmont, how loath I am to speak
against one who was formerly a friend. If he had been content to
remain a friend, I am sure this incident, which has caused us all such
worry and trouble, would never have happened. I do not wish to dwell
on what my uncle will tell you was a very unpleasant episode, but the
Honourable John Haddon is a poor man, and it is quite out of the
question for one brought up as I have been to marry into poverty. He
was very headstrong and reckless about the matter, and involved my
uncle in a bitter quarrel while discussing it, much to my chagrin and
disappointment. It is as necessary for him to marry wealth as it is
for me to make a good match, but he could not be brought to see that.
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