Nevertheless, the Governing Classes seemed hardly able to concede that it was there. They were dining that evening in Mount Street to meet Warlock’s sister, Dumbarton’s sixth duchess. Hadn’t dear Philip better return the sheet of note paper to his father?
The young man rose slowly to confront the Governing Classes.
“Fact is, you know,” said he, “I haven’t asked her yet; and if I did ask her I’m pretty certain she wouldn’t have me. Not that I blame her, of course.”
“Philip, you must listen to me,” said the Proconsul. “Lady Adela will, as I have reason to know, be quite willing to identify herself with the wishes of her family. My dear boy, allow me to express the hope that you, as the future head of yours, will show yourself equally amenable.”
The firmness of the Powers was stupendous. But firmness comes easy when you have passed your life thinking imperially.
Wasn’t it all rather selfish of Philip?
Has a man a right to be selfish, even when he’s staking his life’s happiness? Depends on the sort of man you are, said the Green Chartreuse. Personally, we consider, said the Green Chartreuse, you will be the “absolute it” in the fool class if you allow your people to queer your pitch for you on the score of Family. Adela is a cat, and you know it; Mary Caspar is a girl in a million, and you know that, too; you have no need to be ambitious; you will have quite as much money, and quite as much position as is good for any young fellow. If you don’t want to make a clean sweep of all the prizes in the Juggins Department you will answer in the negative in a quiet, firm, and manly voice.
Here it was, moreover, that Destiny, who seemed to hold a watching brief for the defendant, played a very useful card for the Green Chartreuse. S. of P. consulted his watch, and raised his well-brushed white eyebrows in dismay. A quarter past three already; and he made a point of never missing prayers if he had to keep an appointment with the Woolsack.
In the circumstances, there was only one thing to be done; it was to move that the Conference stand adjourned.
“Come to luncheon on Sunday, Philip, and in the meantime there is no need to send the announcement to the papers.”