"I am not suggesting that he should, my love; but perhaps in time you might persuade him to become an old-fashioned Whig; and that, I believe, is almost as aristocratic. Still I cannot help wishing that he had been a Conservative in the first instance; you see, a Radical may be a gentleman, but a Conservative must be one."
"I don't see that."
"Don't you, love? Well, I can hardly explain it to you, but I have a feeling that it is more correct to be a Conservative."
"But I could not try to make Edgar go against his own convictions, mamma."
Mrs. Martin paused for a moment while she selected a fresh thread of silk; then she said: "Ah! my love, if you want to get on in society, you must think more about conventions than convictions. And since Edgar persists in remaining a Radical, I would ignore it if I were you."
"But there is nothing to be ashamed of in one's politics," persisted Alice; "men have a right to think what they like."
"Still, my dear, if one espoused the cause of the people, it might lead to the impression that one had risen from the people; and that would be extremely painful to any one, especially to a person with my sensitive feelings."
Alice however was obstinate; it was her one fault and she freely indulged in it. "We are risen from the people," she said; "that is merely the truth."
Her mother sighed, as she threaded her needle. "When you have lived as long as I have, my dear, you will find that the truth is generally vulgar and invariably inexpedient."
"Edgar and I don't mean to behave like rich people, or to go in for society, but to live among the poor and try to help them."