'In my opinion, the one greatest boon that could be granted the working class. I do my best to dissuade them from the reading of newspapers.'
Dalmaine turned the whole matter into a jest. Secretly he believed that Egremont was poking contemptuous fun at him, but it was his principle to receive everything with good-humour. They drew apart again, each feeling more strongly than ever the instinctive opposition between their elements. It amounted to a reciprocal dislike, an irritation provoked by each other's presence. Dalmaine was beginning to suspect Egremont of some scheme too deep for his fathoming; it was easier for him to believe anything, than that idealism pure and simple was at the bottom of such behaviour. Walter, on the other hand, viewed the politician's personality with something more than contempt. Dalmaine embodied those forces of philistinism, that essence of the vulgar creed, which Egremont had undertaken to attack, and which, as he already felt, were likely to yield as little before his efforts as a stone wall under the blow of a naked hand. Two such would do well to keep apart.
On returning to the drawing-room, Egremont kept watch for a vacant place by Paula. Presently he was able to move to her side. She spread her fan upon her lap, and, ruffling its edge of white fur, said negligently:
'So you decided to waste an evening, Mr. Egremont.'
'I decided to have an evening of rest and enjoyment.'
'I suppose you are working dreadfully hard. When do you open your library?'
'Scarcely in less than four or five months.'
'And will you stand at the counter and give out books, like the young men at Mudie's?'
'Sometimes, I dare say. But I have found a librarian.'
'Who is he?'