A sensation almost of wrath rose in his breast at his old master's
words. These ignorant country people, to dare to criticise his
glittering golden pheasant, whom he was very nearly making up his mind
to take for a wife! This aspect of the case, that even these unimportant
old ladies could question the position of his choice, galled him. He had
spent up to the last penny of his diminished income in his years of
man's estate, and Derringham was mortgaged to its furthest acre--and a
gentleman must live--and with his brilliant political future expanding
before him, lack of means must not be allowed to stand in his way. He
would give this woman in gratified ambition as much or more than she
would give him in wealth, so it would be an equal bargain and benefit
them both. And, above all, he was more than half in love with her, and
could get quite a large share of pleasure out of the affair as well. He
had been too busy to trouble much over women as a sex since he had left
the University--except in the way he had once described to his old
master, regarding them as flowers in a garden--mere pleasures for sight
and touch, and experiencing ephemeral passions which left no mark.
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