THE QUEEN.—You evade a direct answer, I see. Granting such to be your belief, your friends and landowners would suffer no injury, for their incomes would procure them as many luxuries.
SIR ROBERT.—Not if they were to live abroad, or patronise foreign manufactures: and should wages be higher, what would they say to me after all the money they have expended in bri—I mean at the Carlton Club, if I allow the value of their “dirty acres” to be reduced.
THE QUEEN.—Pray, what do you call such views?
SIR ROBERT.—Patriotism.
THE QUEEN.—Charity would be a better term, as that is said to begin at home. How long were you in your last place?
SIR ROBERT.—Not half so long as I wished—for the sake of the country.
THE QUEEN.—Why did you leave?
SIR ROBERT.—Somebody said I was saucy—and somebody else said I was not honest—and somebody else said I had better go.
THE QUEEN.—Who was the latter somebody?
SIR ROBERT.—My master.