"He bears being petted
and spoilt without being either awkward or conceited." "On the whole,
he is rather nice," said Violet; "only he has not got a shilling in
the world, and has to make himself before he will be anybody." "He
must marry money, of course," said Madame Max Goesler.
"I hope you are contented?" said Lady Laura, rising from her chair
and coming opposite to him as soon as they were alone.
"Of course I am contented."
"I was not,--when I first heard of it. Why did they promote that
empty-headed countryman of yours to a place for which he was quite
unfit? I was not contented. But then I am more ambitious for you than
you are for yourself." He sat without answering her for awhile, and
she stood waiting for his reply. "Have you nothing to say to me?" she
asked.
"I do not know what to say. When I think of it all, I am lost in
amazement. You tell me that you are not contented;--that you are
ambitious for me. Why is it that you should feel any interest in the
matter?"
"Is it not reasonable that we should be interested for our friends?"
"But when you and I last parted here in this room you were hardly my
friend."
"Was I not? You wrong me there;--very deeply."
"I told you what was my ambition, and you resented it," said Phineas.
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