Maulevrier shrugged his shoulders.
'She was vacillating between the refusal or the acceptance of a million of money and four or five fine houses. I don't know whether that condition of mind means happiness. I should call it an intermediate state.'
'Why do you make silly jokes about serious questions? Do you think Lesbia means to accept this Mr. Smithson?'
'All London thinks so.'
'And is he a good man?'
'Good for a hundred thousand pounds at half an hour's notice.'
'Is he worthy of your sister?'
Maulevrier paused, looked at his grandmother with a curious expression, and then replied—
'I think he is—quite.'
'Then I am content that she should marry him,' said Lady Maulevrier, 'although he is a nobody.'