“Pray tell me, Mr. Headstone,” said the Secretary. “Does the sister suffer under any stigma because of the impossible accusation⁠—groundless would be a better word⁠—that was made against the father, and substantially withdrawn?”

“No, sir,” returned Bradley, with a kind of anger.

“I am very glad to hear it.”

“The sister,” said Bradley, separating his words over-carefully, and speaking as if he were repeating them from a book, “suffers under no reproach that repels a man of unimpeachable character who had made for himself every step of his way in life, from placing her in his own station. I will not say, raising her to his own station; I say, placing her in it. The sister labours under no reproach, unless she should unfortunately make it for herself. When such a man is not deterred from regarding her as his equal, and when he has convinced himself that there is no blemish on her, I think the fact must be taken to be pretty expressive.”