"Hush! my dear Hamilton," cries Miss Susan, horrified. "Pray spare us a repetition of Mr. Vansittart's iniquitous opinions."
"I suppose," laughs Virginia, "that women don't insist on marrying him by force, do they?"
"A great many would be very glad to have him," rejoins Mr. Hamilton, "he is a tremendously taking fellow."
"And have you really asked him to dinner?" interposes Miss Susan.
"I have, indeed, my dear, and I had a good deal of difficulty in persuading him to come. He persisted that he went so little into society—into ladies' society."
Miss Susan gave a little snort.
"He has no right to go into it at all with the views he holds; and, pray, whom is he to take in to dinner?"
"Mrs. Ashton, I thought," answers Mr. Hamilton. "I am afraid he would be bored with an unmarried lady."
"When I was young," says Miss Susan, bridling, "married women were as modest and particular in their conversation as unmarried ones."
"Ah!" observes her brother dryly.