“Don’t speak angrily to your mamma, my dear boy,” said Lord Barmouth.
“All right, gov’nor.”
“As to your friend and companion, whom you brought to this house, and who pretended, like an impostor as he is, to have good expectations—”
“He never did anything of the kind,” said Tom. “He always said he hadn’t a rap.”
“Such a person ought never to have been brought near your sweet, pure-minded sisters,” continued her ladyship; “I found out that he was an impostor, and now I hear that he gambles and is in debt.”
“Who told you that?” roared Tom.
“Never mind.”
“But I insist on knowing.”
“Hush, hush, my boy,” said his lordship, twitching Tom’s coat.
“Be quiet, gov’nor. Who told you that, mamma?” cried Tom.