Believing the sort of things you do
believe about her, you might say something very offensive without
meaning any harm. Do be careful."
"I shall not allude to her past, if that's what you are thinking of. I
never have alluded to her past to any one but you, except on the one
occasion on which she brought up the subject herself. Nothing could
possibly be in worse taste than to fling that story in the judge's
face."
"I wish," said the Major, "that I could persuade you not to be quite so
cock-sure about what you call her past. You ought to try and realise
that you may possibly be mistaken."
"That," said Meldon, "is practically what Oliver Cromwell said to the
Scotch Presbyterian ministers. It may have been a sound remark from
his point of view, but I'm rather surprised to hear you quoting and
endorsing it. I always thought you were a Conservative."
"I am. But what has that got to do with your theories about--?"
"If you are a Conservative you ought not to be backing up Oliver
Cromwell. He was a revolutionary of an extreme kind. You ought to be
ashamed of giving your adherence to any sentiment of his. You might
just as well propose to cut off the king's head.
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