"People often say—I do, I know—what they mean without intending it," she answered, carelessly. "I know you would not make a rude speech—I'm sure of that; and as to what we say accidentally, can it signify very much? Mr. Verney said he was coming back after the speeches, and Lord Verney, he said, didn't he? I wonder you don't look in at the town-hall. You could make us laugh by telling all about it, by-and-by—that is, if we happen to see you again."
"Of course you should see me again."
"I meant this evening; to-morrow, perhaps, we should," said she.
"If I went there; but I'm not going. I think that old fellow, Lord Verney, Cleve's uncle, is an impertinent old muff. Every one knows he's a muff, though he is Cleve's uncle; he gave me just one finger to-day, and looked at me as if I ought to be anywhere but where I was. I have as good a right as he to be in Cardyllian, and I venture to say the people like me a great deal better than they like him, or ever will."
"And so you punish him by refusing your countenance to this—what shall I call it?—gala."
"Oh! of course you take the Verneys' part against me; they are swells, and I am a nobody."
He thought Miss Agnes coloured a little at this remark. The blood grows sensitive and capricious when people are ailing, and a hint is enough to send it to and fro; but she said only,—
"I never heard of the feud before. I thought that you and Mr. Verney were very good friends."
"So we were; so we are—Cleve and I. Of course, I was speaking of the old lord. Cleve, of course, no one ever hears anything but praises of Cleve. I suppose I ought to beg your pardon for having talked as I did of old Lord Verney; it's petty treason, isn't it, to talk lightly of a Verney, in Cardyllian or its neighbourhood?" said Sedley, a little sourly.
"I don't know that; but I dare say, if you mean to ask leave to fish or shoot, it might be as well not to attack them."