Hearing that he was Arthur Walter, I thought that it
would be fun to find out his views upon my family and his own. He
did not know who I was, so I determined I would enjoy what looked
like being a long meal. We opened in this manner:
MARGOT: "I see you hate Gladstone!"
ARTHUR WALTER: "Not at all. I hate his politics."
MARGOT: "I didn't suppose you hated the man."
ARTHUR WALTER: "I am ashamed to say I have never even seen him or
heard him speak, but I entirely agree that for the Duke of
Westminster to have sold the Millais portrait of him merely
because he does not approve of Home Rule shows great pettiness! I
have of course never seen the picture as it was bought privately."
MARGOT: "The Tennants bought it, so I suppose you could easily see
it."
ARTHUR WALTER: "I regret to say that I cannot ever see this
picture."
MARGOT: "Why not?"
ARTHUR WALTER: "Because though the Tennants are relations of mine,
our family quarrelled."
MARGOT: "What did they quarrel over?"
ARTHUR WALTER: "Oh, it's a long story! Perhaps relations quarrel
because they are too much alike."
MARGOT: "You are not in the least like the Tennants!"
ARTHUR WALTER: "What makes you say that? Do you know them?"
MARGOT: "Yes, I do."
ARTHUR WALTER: "In that case perhaps you could take me to see the
picture."
MARGOT: "Oh, certainly! ... And I know Mr. Gladstone too!"
ARTHUR WALTER: "What a fortunate young lady! Perhaps you could
manage to take me to see him also.
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