"He would be quite close to her."
"You may take this for granted, sir, that no two persons would be more thoroughly guided by a sense of duty than my sister and George Roden."
"Did she show her duty when she allowed herself to be engaged to a man like that without saying a word to any of her family."
"She told her ladyship as soon as it occurred."
"She should not have allowed it to have occurred at all. It is nonsense talking like that. You cannot mean to say that such a girl as your sister is entitled to do what she likes with herself without consulting any of her family,—even to accepting such a man as this for her lover."
"I hardly know," said Hampstead, thoughtfully.
"You ought to know. I know. Everybody knows. It is nonsense talking like that."
"I doubt whether people do know," said Hampstead. "She is twenty-one, and as far as the law goes might, I believe, walk out of the house, and marry any man she pleases to-morrow. You as her father have no authority over her whatever;"—here the indignant father jumped up from his chair; but his son went on with his speech, as though determined not to be interrupted,—"except what may come to you by her good feeling, or else from the fact that she is dependent on you for her maintenance."
"Good G——!" shouted the Marquis.
"I think this is about the truth of it. Young ladies do subject themselves to the authority of their parents from feeling, from love, and from dependence; but, as far as I understand in the matter, they are not legally subject beyond a certain age."