'A man has a right to that for which he has paid,' said Wharton,
with mock solemnity, 'and if he passes over laches of that nature
without observation, he does an injury to humanity at large. I'm
not going to be caught in a trap, you know, because I like horse
radish with my beef. Well, I can't go farther out of my way, as
I have a deal of reading to do before I court my Morpheus. If
you'll take my advice, you'll go straight to the governor.
Whatever Emily may feel, I don't think she'll say much to
encourage you unless you go about it after that fashion. She has
prim notions of her own, which perhaps are not after all so much
amiss when a man wants to marry a girl.'

'God forbid that I should think that anything about your sister
was amiss!'

'I don't think there is much myself. Women are generally
superficial,--but some are honestly superficial and some
dishonestly. Emily at any rate is honest.'

'Stop half a moment.' Then they sauntered arm in arm down the
broad pavement leading from Pall Mall to the Duke of York's
column. 'I wish I could make out your father more clearly. He
is always civil to me, but he has a cold way of looking at me
which makes me think I am not in his good books.'

'He is like that to everybody.'

'I never seem to get beyond the skin with him. You must have
heard him speak of me in my absence.'