He has his own business to attend to. I wanted to hear from
him how Simpkins and Miss King have been getting on."
"I may as well tell you," said the Major, "that I don't at all care for
this plan of yours of setting servants to spy on people, especially on
ladies. It doesn't strike me as honourable, and I wish you'd stop it.
What did Callaghan tell you?"
"My dear Major, your scruples are perfectly ridiculous. I'm not asking
Callaghan to report to me Miss King's private conversations, or to read
her letters, or anything of that sort. I merely want to know whether
Simpkins kisses her. There's nothing objectionable about that."
"I should say that supposing Simpkins did, and she let him, which is
perfectly absurd, for Miss King isn't that sort at all, and it's
grossly insulting to talk of her in that way-- Besides, putting her
out of the question, no woman that ever lived could bear--"
"Lots of women do. It's far commoner than you think. I should say
that hardly a day passes but some woman somewhere lets--"
"Not Simpkins. He's such a horrid cad."
"When they are married she'll have to, though I daresay it will hasten
Simpkins' end if he does it too often--always supposing that she agrees
with you about him.
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