“Oh, no, Lord Warlock. My Philip is nothing like clever enough to be a Vandeleurite.”
Rather sacrificing her lord, though, wasn’t she, on the altar of high diplomacy? Not that Mr. Philip minded that particularly. Hot buttered tea-cake was of far more consequence than anything that had transpired up to the present.
The Ex-Ambassador was constrained to feel that the ambitious young woman’s reasoning was sound. The young hussy then proceeded to draw her next card out of the pack, and it wasn’t a very bad one, either.
“You see, Lord Warlock, I am so keen for my Philip to go into politics, as I want people to say that the best day’s work he ever did was when he married me.”
There was only one reply for an old diplomatist to make to this engaging candor. It is hardly necessary to say that no time was lost in making it.
How did Mary, who is really too pushing to be quite nice, in my opinion, receive the obviously insincere compliment that was paid to her? says our little friend Miss Newnham. She didn’t say a word, my dear, but she blushed quite charmingly—at least, the Ex-Ambassador thought she did—and then that absolutely direct glance of about two thousand candle-power came right at the noble earl, who proceeded to register on the tablets of his worldly wise old mind the following pearl of wisdom: No Wonder The Young Fools Marry ’Em Nowadays.
“So you want to get him into Parliament, do you—as a Rag?” mused the old cynic.
“Dear Lord Warlock, if you would only give me a little advice, I am really so ignorant!”
There was just room for two persons on the decrepit sofa that had the honor of holding my lord. Would it bear the weight of both of ’em? was another poser for Mary the Tactful. She would risk it, anyhow; and so she sat down beside the Ex-Ambassador in a charmingly impulsive manner, and said, “Dear Lord Warlock, do help me,” and very nearly slew one who had grown old in the world with her good gray eyes.
It may almost be laid down as an axiom that ex-ambassadors are pretty deep as a rule. This one was certainly not an exception. Not only did his dark and self-contained appearance suggest considerable guile, but this picturesque impression was amply confirmed by the fascinating curves of his intellect. In fine, my lords and gentlemen, His Britannic Majesty’s Ex-Ambassador to Persia was a long way from being a fool.