"That is very sudden," said the Earl.
"I thought Laura had told you."
"She has not told me a word lately. She may have said something
before you came here. What is there to hurry you?"
"I thought ten days would be as long as you would care to have me
here, and as I said that I would be back by the first, I would rather
not change my plans."
"You are going to hunt?"
"Yes;--I shall hunt till the end of March."
"You might have hunted here, Oswald." But the son made no sign of
changing his plans; and the father, seeing that he would not change
them, became solemn and severe. There were a few words which he must
say to his son,--something of a speech that he must make;--so he led
the way into the room with the dark books and the dark furniture, and
pointed to a great deep arm-chair for his son's accommodation. But as
he did not sit down himself, neither did Lord Chiltern. Lord Chiltern
understood very well how great is the advantage of a standing orator
over a sitting recipient of his oratory, and that advantage he would
not give to his father. "I had hoped to have an opportunity of saying
a few words to you about the future," said the Earl.
"I think we shall be married in July," said Lord Chiltern.
"So I have heard;--but after that.
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