How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
"Look, mistress, this is the key of my wine-cellar. It is a large key, but the keys of prisons are larger. In this city there are houses of correction (where the treadmills are, for women), the gates of which are very strong and heavy, and no doubt the keys too. I am afraid a lady of your spirit and activity would find it an inconvenience to have one of those keys turned upon her for any length of time. [...] the law is so despotic here that it interferes to prevent any of our good English citizens from being troubled, even by a lady's visits against his desire. And on his complaining that he is so troubled, it takes hold of the troublesome lady and shuts her up in prison under hard discipline." (42.64-68)
This is Tulkinghorn threatening Hortense. Here he admits to her that he could have her locked up (totally illegally) for as long as he wants to. Some of his bravado here probably has to do with the fact that she's a foreigner, with fewer civil rights in England. But some also has to do with the fact the she is a woman, with inherently less power than him. Even if she were to go to the police, whose story would they believe?