Heart: A Social Novel

E-text prepared by Jonathan Ingram, Janet Blenkinship, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net/c/)
HARTFORD: PUBLISHED BY SILAS ANDRUS & SON. 1851.

Is he rich, ma'am? is he rich? ey? what—what? is he rich?
Sir Thomas was a rapid little man, and quite an epicure in the use of that luscious monosyllable.
Is he rich, Lady Dillaway? ey? what?
Really, Thomas, you never give me time to answer, replied the quintescence of quietude, her ladyship; and then it is perpetually the same question, and—
Well, ma'am, can there be a more important question asked? I repeat it, is he rich? ey? what?
You know, Sir Thomas, we never are agreed about the meaning of that word; but I should say, very.
As Lady Dillaway always spoke quite softly in a whisper, she had failed to enlighten the knight; but he seemed, notwithstanding, to have caught her intention instinctively; for he added, in his impetuous, imperious way,
No nonsense now, about talents and virtues, and all such trash; but quick, ma'am, quick—is the man rich?
In talents, as you mention the word, certainly, very rich; a more clever or accomplished—