As this happens to be true, Mrs. Lammle is thrown on the feminine resource of saying, “I don’t care what you uttered or did not utter.”

After a little more walking and a little more silence, Mr. Lammle breaks the latter.

“You shall proceed in your own way. You claim a right to ask me do I mean to tell you. Do I mean to tell you what?”

“That you are a man of property?”

“No.”

“Then you married me on false pretences?”

“So be it. Next comes what you mean to say. Do you mean to say you are a woman of property?”

“No.”