“That I can’t exactly say on the spur of the moment. I must know the man first—especially if you are right in supposing he would not enjoy a victory over the presbytery. I should. He wouldn’t take money, I fear.”
“Except it came of love or work, he would put it from him as he would brush the dust from his coat.”
“I could introduce him to good society. That is no small privilege to one of his station.”
“He has more of that and better than your ladyship could give him. He holds company with Socrates and St. Paul, and greater still.”
“But they’re not like living people.”
“Very like them, my lady—only far better company in general. But Mr Graham would leave Plato himself—yes, or St. Paul either, though he were sitting beside him in the flesh, to go and help any old washerwoman that wanted him.”
“Then I want him.”
“No, my lady, you don’t want him.”
“How dare you say so?”
“If you did, you would go to him.”