what's in his mind?

STEEL. Oh! We must get him to give up that idea of lecturing
everywhere against the war, Mrs. More; we simply must.

KATHERINE. [Listening] The deputation's come. Go and fetch him,
Mr. Steel. He'll be in his room, at the House.

[STEEL goes out, and KATHERINE Stands at bay. In a moment he
opens the door again, to usher in the deputation; then retires.
The four gentlemen have entered as if conscious of grave issues.
The first and most picturesque is JAMES HOME, a thin, tall,
grey-bearded man, with plentiful hair, contradictious eyebrows,
and the half-shy, half-bold manners, alternately rude and over
polite, of one not accustomed to Society, yet secretly much
taken with himself. He is dressed in rough tweeds, with a red
silk tie slung through a ring, and is closely followed by MARK
WACE, a waxy, round-faced man of middle-age, with sleek dark
hair, traces of whisker, and a smooth way of continually rubbing
his hands together, as if selling something to an esteemed
customer. He is rather stout, wears dark clothes, with a large
gold chain. Following him comes CHARLES SHELDER, a lawyer of
fifty, with a bald egg-shaped head, and gold pince-nez. He has
little side whiskers, a leathery, yellowish skin, a rather kind
but watchful and dubious face, and when he speaks seems to have
a plum in his mouth, which arises from the preponderance of his
shaven upper lip. Last of the deputation comes WILLIAM BANNING,
an energetic-looking, square-shouldered, self-made country-man,
between fifty and sixty, with grey moustaches, ruddy face, and
lively brown eyes.]