This, along with "We are English, we are Christians," makes me wonder if the French Revolution and the Terror helped form these particular lines---just thinking of how one hardly dared speak a word against the Revolution for fear of being called up in front of Robespierre and his cronies. I can easily see overtones of that in the choice of a phrase like "neighborhood of voluntary spies."

I also find myself thinking, though, of Sherlock Holmes' ruminations about what ghastly crimes can be committeed at isolated country estates that look so pastoral and innocent, simply because people aren't as close together as in the city and so crimes are less likely to be witnessed. So perhaps there are some extenuating circumstances for Catherine . . .