"What Mr. Vernon?"
"Mr. Frederic Vernon, the artist."
"But, Grace, he is not in society. He does not belong to our circle."
"He is a gentleman, Aunt Caroline, and is worthy of social recognition."
"My dear child, he is very poor. I doubt whether he has a dress suit to appear in."
"That is his affair. He may not come, but it will be polite in us to invite him."
"You are rather quixotic, Grace."
"Why do you think so? I know Mr. Vernon to be well educated, and possessed of culture and refinement in a higher degree than many of the gentlemen who will receive invitations. I feel like recognizing him as an equal. Do you seriously object?"
"Oh, no! Send him a card if you wish. I only wished to set before you the singularity of inviting a poor, obscure artist to a fashionable party. We may be criticised."
"We propose to please ourselves, not the critics, Aunt Caroline," answered Grace, with a curl of the lip. "Now, there is one on your list whom I think much more unfit than Mr. Vernon, who is qualified to appear anywhere among gentlemen and ladies."