"I think a man must be very selfish and self-confident, who could venture to ask such a sacrifice from any woman. I could not."
"But I am supposing that the sacrifice is voluntary, proposed, planned, and arranged entirely by herself—women have been capable of this—what should you say to it?"
"I cannot tell what I should say, for I cannot imagine myself in such a situation. Your ladyship takes pleasure in arranging little romances, but such circumstances are unlikely to occur in real life."
"And why? what do you suppose is the reason why, in this prosaic world, we are governed only by titles—empty sounds, not to be compared to the sterling merits of virtue and learning? Mr. Howard, I prefer a man of sense, learning, and modesty to all the coxcombs who ever wore a coronet or paraded a title."
"Your ladyship is quite right," replied he, beginning to get a little uncomfortable at the looks of his companion, and rather anxious to put a stop to the conference.
"And if that man were too modest to be sensible of the preference, if he could not venture, on his own account, to break through the barriers which difference of station had placed between us, should he be shocked if, despising etiquette, and throwing aside the restraints of pride and reserve, I were to venture to express those feelings in all their native warmth and openness?"
He was silent, and Lady Osborne continued for some moments in profound thought likewise, looking down at the carpet and playing with her rings: at length she raised her head, and said,
"I think you understand my meaning, Mr. Howard. Of the nature of my feelings I am sure you must have been long aware. Do you not see to what this conversation tends?"
He appeared excessively embarrassed, and could not, for some minutes, arrange his ideas sufficiently to know what to say. At length he stammered out—
"Your ladyship does me too much honour, if I rightly understand your meaning—but perhaps—I should be sorry to misinterpret it—and really you must excuse me—perhaps I had better withdraw."