human
No news of my granddaughter, I suppose,
gpt
None, I am sorry to say.
human
Anita is a fool, but I am certain--absolutely certain, mind you--that she did not kill that precious husband of hers, though I don't doubt he richly deserved it.
gpt
I am surprised that you of all people should speak of my cousin in that tone,
human
Of course, you believe what every one believes, that I forced Ann into that marriage. Stuff and nonsense! I merely pointed out to her that she could not do better than take him. She had not a penny to her name and after my death would have been left totally unprovided for. I have only my dower, as you know.
gpt
But, how could you have allowed a girl whose mind was affected to marry?
human
Fiddlesticks! You don't believe that nonsense, do you? Newspaper twaddle, that is all that amounts to.
gpt
I beg your pardon, Arthur himself gave out that her condition was such that she was unable to see any one.
human
Impossible! He wrote to me quite frequently and never hinted at such a thing.
gpt
Nevertheless I assure you that is the case.
human
Then he is a greater blackguard than I took him to be----
gpt
But did you not know that he kept her practically a prisoner here?
human
Certainly not!
gpt
And she never complained to you of his treatment of her?
human
I once got a hysterical letter from her begging me to let her come back to me, but as the only reason she gave for wishing to leave her husband was that he was personally distasteful to her, I wrote back that as she had made her bed, she must lie on it.
gpt
And even after that appeal you never made an attempt to see Anita and find out for yourself how Arthur was treating her?
human
I am not accustomed to being cross-questioned, Lord Wilmersley. I am accountable to no one but my God for what I have done or failed to do. I never liked Anita. She takes after her father, whom my daughter married without my consent. When she was left an orphan, I took charge of her and did my duty by her; but I never pretended that I was not glad when she married and, as she did so of her own free-will, I cannot see that her future life was any concern of mine.