"I certainly shan't offend in that way."
"And you won't be a Radical?"
"No, not a Radical."
"I mean a man to follow Beales and Bright, a republican, a putter-down of the Church, a hater of the Throne. You won't take up that line, will you, Brooke?"
"It isn't my way at present, Aunt Stanbury. But a man shouldn't promise."
"Ah me! It makes me sad when I think what the country is coming to. I'm told there are scores of members of Parliament who don't pronounce their h's. When I was young, a member of Parliament used to be a gentleman;—and they've taken to ordaining all manner of people. It used to be the case that when you met a clergyman you met a gentleman. By-the-bye, Brooke, what do you think of Mr. Gibson?"
"Mr. Gibson! To tell the truth, I haven't thought much about him."
"But you must think about him. Perhaps you haven't thought about my niece, Dolly Stanbury?"
"I think that she's an uncommonly nice girl."
"She's not to be nice for you, young man. She's to be married to Mr. Gibson."