“Perhaps you may remember that I expressed some anxiety on this same point when we spoke at night at Chesney Wold?”

“Yes,” says Mr. Tulkinghorn, coolly getting up and standing on the hearth. “Yes. I recollect, Lady Dedlock, that you certainly referred to the girl, but that was before we came to our arrangement, and both the letter and the spirit of our arrangement altogether precluded any action on your part founded upon my discovery. There can be no doubt about that. As to sparing the girl, of what importance or value is she? Spare! Lady Dedlock, here is a family name compromised. One might have supposed that the course was straight on⁠—over everything, neither to the right nor to the left, regardless of all considerations in the way, sparing nothing, treading everything under foot.”