Page:The principal girl (IA principalgirl00snai).pdf/296

 "And Mr. Vandeleur, of course. Your father was the last peer made by his Gover'ment. So wounding to a man as sensitive as Mr. Vandeleur!"

Mr. Philip was awfully sorry that his little adventure was being taken so seriously by people whom he would not have supposed would have paid it any attention.

"But, dear Phil-ipp," said Mother, "your father holds such a special position in public life. He is so upset. A real grief to him, with the affairs of the country in their present deplorable state. The Constitution, you know—! Dear Phil-ipp, have you fully considered the question?"

Oh, yes, dear Phil-ipp had considered the question—that is, as well as he was able to. He didn't pretend that he knew very much about it; but Polly rather thought—the prophetic soul of Mother!—but Polly rather thought that a man of means and leisure ought to go into Parliament, and try and make himself useful to the world. Not that personally he felt he would be of any use at all.

"I can only say, dear Phil-ipp," said Mother, "that your father is much upset; Mr. Vandeleur is much upset; the Party is much upset; and we have all talked about you quite anxiously. Don't you realize what an amount of political capital will be made of your standing as a Rag by the enemies of the Empire?"

"I shouldn't have thought anybody would have cared