It was Monsieur Fiche's turn to laugh now. "Defend you," he said, "and who? The Major, the Captain, any one of those gambling men whom Madame sees would take her life for a hundred louis. We know things about Major Loder (he is no more a Major than I am my Lord the Marquis) which would send him to the galleys or worse. We know everything and have friends everywhere. We know whom you saw at Paris, and what relations you found there. Yes, Madame may stare, but we do. How was it that no minister on the Continent would receive Madame? She has offended somebody: who never forgives--whose rage redoubled when he saw you. He was like a madman last night when he came home. 
It was Monsieur Fiche's turn to laugh. "Defend you," he said, "who? Any one of those gambling men would take your life for a hundred louis. We know things about Major Loder (and he is no more a Major than I am a Marquis) which would send him to the galleys or worse. We know everything and have friends everywhere. Madame has offended somebody who never forgives - whose rage redoubled when he saw you. He was like a madman last night when he came home. 