"Rank, to begin with," said Lady Catherine.

"Still my old objection--bought rank is but a shabby thing."

"But there is so little difference made between bought and hereditary
rank in these days," said Lady Catherine.

"I see a great deal still," said Miss Broadhurst; "so much, that I
would never buy a title."

"A title, without birth, to be sure," said Lady Anne, "would not be so
well worth buying; and as birth certainly is not to be bought--"

"And even birth, were it to be bought, I would not buy," said
Miss Broadhurst, "unless I could be sure to have it with all the
politeness, all the noble sentiments, all the magnanimity, in short,
all that should grace and dignify high birth."

"Admirable!" said Lord Colambre. Grace Nugent smiled.

"Lord Colambre, will you have the goodness to put my mother in mind, I
must go away?"

"I am bound to obey, but I am very sorry for it," said his lordship.

"Are we to have any dancing to-night, I wonder?" said Lady Anne. "Miss
Nugent, I am afraid we have made Miss Broadhurst talk so much, in
spite of her hoarseness, that Lady Clonbrony will be quite angry with
us. And here she comes, Lady Catherine."