"Now, Philip, don't you go to encourage Tom in this mad fancy. It's just a fancy. The girl has nothing; and Tom's wife ought to be— I shall break my heart if Tom's wife is not of good family and position, and good manners, and good education. That's the least I can ask for."
"She has as good manners as anybody you know!" said Tom flaring up. "As good as Julia's, and better."
"I should say, she has no manner whatever," remarked Miss Julia quietly.
"What is 'manner'?" said Tom indignantly. "I hate it. Manner! They all have 'manner'—except the girls who make believe they have none; and their 'manner' is to want manner. Stuff!"
"But the girl knows nothing," persisted Mrs. Caruthers.
"She knows absolutely nothing,"—Julia confirmed this statement.
Silence.
"She speaks correct English," said Dillwyn. "That at least."
"English!—but not a word of French or of any other language. And she has no particular use for the one language she does know; she cannot talk about anything. How do you know she speaks good grammar, Mr. Dillwyn? did you ever talk with her?"
"Yes—" said Philip, making slow admission. "And I think you are mistaken in your other statement; she can talk on some subjects. Probably you did not hit the right ones."