Page 71 (1/1)

'I'ie my opinion,' said his father, in the tone of the fox who had a cold and could not smell

'She couldn't have been very backward anyhow, considering the short time you have known her,' said his mother 'Well I think that five years hence you'll be plenty young enough to think of such things And really she can very well afford to wait, and will too, takedown in an out-step place like this, I aht to be very thankful that you took notice of her She'd most likely have died an old maid if you hadn't turned up'

'All nonsense,' said Stephen, but not aloud

'A nice little thing she is,' Mrs Smith went on in a more complacent tone now that Stephen had been talked down; 'there's not a word to say against her, I'll own I see her so to fair, and I admire her for't A perfect little lady But people can't help their thoughts, and if she'd learnt to ures instead of letters when she was at school 'twould have been better for her pocket; for as I said, there never orse times for such as she than now'

'No,deprecation

'But I will!' said his , and I know e Men of her class, that is, parsons, hters; lords hters All stages of gentleentlewole, or marry out of their class'

'But you said just now, dear mother----' retorted Stephen, unable to resist the te his mother her inconsistency Then he paused

'Well, what did I say?' And Mrs Sretting that he had begun, since a volcano o on

'You said I wasn't out of her class just before'

'Yes, there, there! That's you; that's my own flesh and blood I'll warrant that you'll pick holes in everything your mother says, if you can, Stephen You are just like your father for that; take anybody's part butaway for your good, you are waiting to catch me out in that way So you are in her class, but 'tis what HER people would CALLout of her class Don't be so quarrelsome, Stephen!'