'
'Oh yes;--certainly. He has been staying with me at Matching. In
public life such intimacies come from politics.'
'You don't care much about him then.'
The Duke paused a moment before he answered. 'Yes I do;--and in
what I said just now perhaps I wronged him. I have been under
obligations to Mr Finn,--in a matter as to which he behaved very
well. I have found him to be a gentleman. If you come across him
in the House I would wish you to be courteous to him. I have not
seen him since we came from abroad. I have been able to see
nobody. But if ever again I should entertain my friends at my
table, Mr Finn would be one who would always be welcome there.'
This he said with a sadly serious air as though wishing that his
words should be noted. At the present moment he was remembering
that he owed recompense to Mrs Finn, and was making an effort to
pay the debt. 'But your leader is striking out into unwonted
eloquence. Surely we ought to listen to him.'
Sir Timothy was a fluent speaker, and when there was nothing to be
said was possessed of a great plenty of words.
Pages:
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354