Anyone would have thought that you were her lover." "Good gracious, my dear madam," said Mr.Slope with a look of horror.
"Why, she is a married woman." "That's more than I know," said Mrs.Proudie; "however she chooses to pass for such.

But married or not married, such attention as you paid to her was improper.

I cannot believe that you would wish to give offence in my drawing-room, Mr.Slope, but I owe it to myself and my daughters to tell you that I disapprove of your conduct." Mr.Slope opened wide his huge protruding eyes and stared out of them with a look of well-feigned surprise.

"Why, Mrs.Proudie," said he, "I did but fetch her something to eat when she said she was hungry." "And you have called on her since," continued she, looking at the culprit with the stern look of a detective policeman in the act of declaring himself.
Mr.Slope turned over in his mind whether it would be well for him to tell this termagant at once that he should call on whom he liked and do what he liked, but he remembered that his footing in Barchester was not yet sufficiently firm, and that it would be better for him to pacify her.
"I certainly called since at Dr.Stanhope's house, and certainly saw Madame Neroni." "Yes, and you saw her alone," said the episcopal Argus.
"Undoubtedly, I did," said Mr.Slope, "but that was because nobody else happened to be in the room.

Surely it was no fault of mine if the rest of the family were out." "Perhaps not, but I assure you, Mr.Slope, you will fall greatly in my estimation if I find that you allow yourself to be caught by the lures of that woman.