Page:Free Opinions, Freely Expressed on Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct.djvu/239

 she is to marry his son? An extract from this scene may not here be altogether out of place.

Lady Dedlock has enquired of the iron-master if the love-affair between her lady's-maid and his son is still going on, and receives an answer in the affirmative.

"'If you remember anything so unimportant,' he says—'which is not to be expected—you would recollect that my first thought in the affair was directly opposed to her remaining here.'

"Dismiss the Dedlock patronage from consideration? Oh! Sir Leicester is bound to believe a pair of ears that have been handed down to him through such a family, or he really might have mistrusted their report of the iron-gentleman's observation!

"'It is not necessary,' observes my Lady, in her coldest manner, before he can do anything but breathe amazedly, 'to enter into these matters on either side. The girl is a very good girl; I have nothing whatever to say against her; but she is so far insensible to her many advantages and her good fortune, that she is in love—or supposes she is, poor little fool—and unable to appreciate them.'

"Sir Leicester begs to observe that wholly alters the case. He might have been sure that my Lady had the best grounds and reasons in support of her view. He entirely agrees with my Lady. The young woman had better go.

"'As Sir Leicester observed, Mr. Rouncewell, on the last occasion when we were fatigued by this business,' Lady Dedlock languidly proceeds,