"I was tired—and I am always disagreeable."
"I have noticed it," he agreed, equably. "I hope you like oysters."
"If Selina were to see us now," she remarked, with a sudden humorous smile, "how shocked she would be."
"What a little far-away world it seems down there," he said thoughtfully. "After all, I am glad that I have not to live in Medchester all my life."
"You have been there this afternoon, haven't you?"
"Yes. Henslow is giving us a lot of trouble. I am afraid we shall lose the seat next election."
"Do you mind?"
"Not much. I am no party politician. I want to see Medchester represented by a man who will go there with a sense of political proportion, and I don't care whether he calls himself Liberal, or Radical, or Conservative, or Unionist."
"Please explain what you mean by that," she begged.
"Why, yes. I mean a man who will understand how enormously more important is the welfare of our own people, the people of whom we are making slaves, than this feverish Imperialism and war cant. Mind, I think our patriotism should be a thing wholly understood. It needn't be talked about. It makes showy fireworks for the platform, but it's all unnecessary and to my mind very undignified. If only people would take that for granted and go on to something worth while."