“Gabriel: Good thing we were there to clean up after you, or the whole plan would have gone down in flames, along with the shreds of your reputation.Will:Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact? Clearly I have been doing something wrong. Or not doing something wrong, as the case may be. Thomas! We must away at once to the mearest brothel! I seek scandal and low companionship.”

“Nice work in there, Herondale, setting the place on fire,” Gabriel observed. “Good thing we were there to clean up after you, or the whole plan would have gone down in flames, along with the shreds of your reputation.” “Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?” Will demanded with mock horror. “Clearly I have done something wrong. Or not doing something wrong as the case may be.” He banged on the side of the carriage. “Thomas! We must away at once to the nearest brothel! I seek scandal and low companionship.”

“Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?" Will demanded with mock horror. "Clearly I have been doing something wrong. Or not something wrong, as the case may be." He banged on the side of the carriage. "Thomas! We must away at once to the nearest brothel. I seek scandal and low companionship.”

“He banged on the side of the carriage. "Thomas! We must away at once to the nearest brothel. I seek scandal and low companionship.”

“One of the cardinal rules of journalism: Once you have cabled a story you must stick by it and back it up, unless something completely overwhelming proves you to have been wrong. In such a case, just drop the matter.”

“But I know that any man whose very presence incites me to nearly throw away my reputation-or whatever shreds of it remain-is someone I must avoid at any cost.”