having made a finished speech, and being perfectly satisfied with
it.

"Do you mean that she can never feel sure of the justice of her
title to her riches? That used to trouble me; but it no longer does
so."

"Nonsense!" said Lucian. "I alluded to the disinterestedness of your
friends."

"That does not trouble me either. Absolutely disinterested friends I
do not seek, as I should only find them among idiots or
somnambulists. As to those whose interests are base, they do not
know how to conceal their motives from me. For the rest, I am not so
unreasonable as to object to a fair account being taken of my wealth
in estimating the value of my friendship."

"Do you not believe in the existence of persons who would like you
just as well if you were poor?"

"Such persons would, merely to bring me nearer to themselves, wish
me to become poor; for which I should not thank them. I set great
store by the esteem my riches command, Lucian. It is the only
set-off I have against the envy they inspire."

"Then you would refuse to believe in the disinterestedness of any
man who--who--"

"Who wanted to marry me? On the contrary: I should be the last
person to believe that a man could prefer my money to myself. If he