"Why, here are people with every advantage, with money and with education, and with the power of place and rank,—living for nothing but mere amusement, and very poor amusement too."
"The conversations alluded to were very often not poor amusement. Some of the society were very brilliant and very experienced men."
"But they did nothing with their lives."
"How does that appear?"
"Here, at the Duke of York's," said Lois, turning over her leaves;—"they sat up till four in the morning playing whist; and on Sunday they amused themselves shooting pistols and eating fruit in the garden, and playing with the monkeys! That is like children."
"My dear, half the world do nothing with their lives, as you phrase it."
"But they ought. And you expect it of people in high places, and having all sorts of advantages."
"You expect, then, what you do not find."
"And is all of what is called the great world, no better than that?"
"Some of it is better." (O Philip, Philip, where are you? thought Mrs. Barclay.) "They do not all play whist all night. But you know, Lois, people come together to be amused; and it is not everybody that can talk, or act, sensibly for a long stretch."