The two young men looked round hurriedly and slunk aside, taking off their hats as Lord Potter walked down the steps, ostentatiously holding his rags together to avoid contact with them.
"It is that spirit," said Mr. Perry, who had observed the scene, "that is responsible for so much of the class-hatred that is now rife. You can hardly wonder at the rich hating the poor, when they are treated in that way."
Lord Potter passed on with his nose in the air, but when he had gone another two or three steps, turned round and said to Mr. Perry: "You have had a lucky escape, sir. Your method of life is bringing you down pretty low, and if you are wise you will give up all this nonsense, and return to the quite respectable class in which you were born."
Then he turned to me. "As for you, young man," he said, "I shall make it my business to know more about you. I don't believe you are what you pretend to be."
As he walked away with his dirty head in the air, Mr. Perry spluttered indignantly: "The respectable class in which I was born! He knows very well that I am of a good family—as good as his own. Really, the arrogance of the dirty set is getting past all bearing!"
"He makes you feel as if your clothes fitted you," said young Perry. "But never mind him, father. He can't touch us."
[CHAPTER VI]
We saw Mr. Perry into his tram, and started to walk through the town.