“Reason enough to surrender them now. Men quit even the Treasury benches to give the Opposition a turn of office.”
“He 's a quarrelsome old blade, too,” said Mark, “particularly if he suspects he's been 'put upon.'”
“No blame to him for that.”
“A word or two, said as you well know how to say it, will set all right; or a line, perhaps, saying that having accidentally heard from me—”
“No, no, Mark. Written excuses are like undated acceptances, and they may be presented unexpectedly to you years after you 've forgotten them. I 'll tell the Commodore that I shall not inconvenience him beyond a day or two, for I mean to start by the end of the week.”
“They expect you to come back with us. Alice told me you had promised.”
“L'homme propose,” said he, sighing. “By the way, I saw that young fellow you told me about,—Butler; a good-looking fellow, too, well limbed and well set up, but not a marvel of good-breeding or tact.”
“Did he attempt any impertinences with you?” asked Mark, in a tone of amazement.
“Not exactly; he was not, perhaps, as courteous as men are who care to make a favorable impression; but he is not, as you suspected,—he is not a snob.”
“Indeed!” said Mark, reddening; for, though provoked and angry, he did not like to contest the judgment of Norman Maitland on such a point. “You 'll delight my sisters by this expression of your opinion; for my own part, I can only say I don't agree with it.”