"I don't care a straw for Lady Whiteroy."
"And you promised me. But that's less still."
"It is foolish—it's quite idiotic," said Nick with his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the ceiling.
There was another silence, at the end of which Julia remarked: "You might have answered Mr. Macgeorge when he spoke to you."
"Mr. Macgeorge—what has he to do with it?"
"He has to do with your getting on a little. If you think that's the way—!"
Nick broke into a laugh. "I like lessons in getting on—in other words I suppose you mean in urbanity—from you, Julia!"
"Why not from me?"
"Because you can do nothing base. You're incapable of putting on a flattering manner to get something by it: therefore why should you expect me to? You're unflattering—that is, you're austere—in proportion as there may be something to be got."
She sprang from her chair, coming toward him. "There's only one thing I want in the world—you know very well."