"Titles," says Voltaire, "are of no value to posterity, the name of a man who has achieved great deeds imposes more respect than any or all epithets."
"He boned that out of a book of familiar quotations," explained the Duke admiringly, "go on."
"It would seem that the English character, ever sturdy and self-reliant, is in imminent danger of deterioration...."
"Title worship is unworthy of a great people.... Especially foolish is the worship when the demi-god is an obscure foreigner, whose chief asset is an overwhelming amount of self confidence, and an absolute disregard for the amenities and decencies of social intercourse."
"I can't quite place that last bit," said the Duke, "it is probably employed to round off the sentence—proceed, Mr. Nape."
"With every desire to preserve intact the admirable relationships that exist at the present moment between ourselves and our Gallic neighbours, we should be wanting in our duty if we did not point out, and emphasize in the strongest possible terms, the necessity for a strict observance on the part of our foreign guests, of the laws of this land."
"That's rather involved," commented the Duke, "but I gather the sense of the stricture—pardon me."
Mr. Nape continued.
"The English laws are just and equitable; they are the admiration and wonder of the world. The late Baron Pollock on one famous occasion said——"
"Skip that bit," interrupted the Duke.
"The laws affecting property are no less admirably framed. In a noted judgment the late Lord Justice Coleridge laid down the dictum——"