n my child and the son of
some mechanic in our native city."

"He wouldn't be a gentleman," said Silverbridge.

"That is a word of which I don't quite know the meaning."

"I do," said Silverbridge confidently.

"But you could not define it. If a man be well educated, and can keep
a good house over his head, perhaps you may call him a gentleman. But
there are many such with whom your father would not wish to be so
closely connected as you propose."

"But I may have your sanction?" Mr. Boncassen again took off his hat
and walked along thoughtfully. "I hope you don't object to me
personally."

"My dear young lord, your father has gone out of his way to be civil
to me. Am I to return his courtesy by bringing a great trouble upon
him?"

"He seems to be very fond of Miss Boncassen."

"Will he continue to be fond of her when he has heard this? What does
Isabel say?"

"She says the same as you, of course."

"Why of course;--except that it is evident to you as it is to me that
she could not with propriety say anything else."

"I think she would,--would like it, you know."

"She would like to be your wife!"

"Well;--yes. If it were all serene, I think she would consent."

"I dare say she would consent,--if it were all serene. Why should she
not? Do not try her too hard, Lord Silverbridge. You say you love
her."

"I do, indeed."

"Then think of the position in which you are placing her. You are
struggling to win her heart." Silverbridge as he heard this assured
himself that there was no need for any further struggling in that
direction. "Perhaps you have won it. Yet she may feel that she cannot
become your wife. She may well say to herself that this which is
offered to her is so great, that she does not know how to refuse it;
and may yet have to say, at the same time, that she cannot accept it
without disgrace. You would not put one that you love into such a
position?"

"As for disgrace,--that is nonsense. I beg your pardon, Mr.
Boncassen."

"Would it be no disgrace that she should be known here, in England,
to be your wife, and that none of those of your rank,--of what would
then be her own rank,--should welcome her into her new world?"

"That would be out of the question."

"If your own father refused to welcome her, would not others follow
suit?"

"You don't know my father."

"You seem to know him well enough to fear that he would object."

"Yes;--that is true."

"What more do I want to know?"