"On her behalf, but not from her. I did not inform her that I was coming."
"The information is of no interest to me. The appeal you speak of is of the usual kind. It is superfluous to ask if you are rich."
"I am not, sir."
"Poor?"
"Yes, sir."
"Very poor?"
"Very poor."
His frankness, his bearing, his aspect compelled a certain amount of respect, and it did not soften Mr. Manners to be made to feel this.
"Had you any hand in this marriage?" demanded Mr. Manners.
"None, sir. Had my advice been solicited, I should have been strongly against it. I am not going too far to say that I should not have sanctioned it, and should have thrown in what small amount of authority I possessed to prevent it, if your consent had not been first asked and obtained."