If you wish me to repeat those words in the presence of the servants (absurd as it is), I am ready to comply with your request." Grace's temper began to get the better of her prudent resolutions.
"Lady Janet!" she said; "this won't do.

I must request you to express yourself plainly.

You talk of my peculiar claims on your forbearance.
What claims do you mean ?" "It will be painful to both of us if we enter into details," replied Lady Janet.

"Pray don't let us enter into details." "I insist on it, madam." "Pray don't insist on it." Grace was deaf to remonstrance.
"I ask you in plain words," she went on, "do you acknowledge that you have been deceived by an adventuress who has personated me?
Do you mean to restore me to my proper place in this house ?" Lady Janet returned to the arrangement of her papers.
"Does your ladyship refuse to listen to me ?" Lady Janet looked up from her papers as blandly as ever.
"If _you_ persist in returning to your delusion," she said, "you will oblige _me_ to persist in returning to my papers." "What is my delusion, if you please ?" "Your delusion is expressed in the questions you have just put to me.
Your delusion constitutes your peculiar claim on my forbearance.

Nothing you can say or do will shake my forbearance.