"Thanks," said he, as he took her hand.
"I thought that perhaps you would manage to see me before any one else was here."
"Well;—to tell the truth, I have wished it; though I can hardly tell why."
"I can tell you why, Mr. Finn. But never mind;—come and sit down. I am so very glad that you have been successful;—so very glad. You know I told you that I should never think much of you if you did not at least try it."
"And therefore I did try."
"And have succeeded. Faint heart, you know, never did any good. I think it is a man's duty to make his way into the House;—that is, if he ever means to be anybody. Of course it is not every man who can get there by the time that he is five-and-twenty."
"Every friend that I have in the world says that I have ruined myself."
"No;—I don't say so," said Lady Laura.
"And you are worth all the others put together. It is such a comfort to have some one to say a cheery word to one."
"You shall hear nothing but cheery words here. Papa shall say cheery words to you that shall be better than mine, because they shall be weighted with the wisdom of age. I have heard him say twenty times that the earlier a man goes into the House the better. There is much to learn."