"You have the entrée to the best society in England."
"It does not follow that I can give that entrée to my wife."
"If you have a particular kind of wife, it does."
"And you would be that particular kind of wife?"
"I should. I have sufficient brains, sufficient looks, and sufficient money."
"What is your idea of sufficient money?"
"I can spend, say, between forty and fifty thousand pounds a year, and still economise."
For the first time, he evinced genuine surprise. I thought I had him; but I had not.
"Between forty and fifty thousand pounds a year? No. Then why do you live in such a place as this?"
"If you have any doubts as to the existence of the money, I shall be happy to give you ample proof, not only that my income is considerably over the larger of the two sums which I have mentioned, but also that it is certain to increase."