orm
and talk in ambiguous language of what a "gentleman" would or
would not do. He might disapprove of this man altogether as a
son-in-law,--and at the present moment he thought that he did,--but
still the man was entitled to a civil answer. How were lovers to
approach the ladies of their love in any manner more respectful than
this? "Mr. Lopez," he said, "you must forgive me if I say that you
are comparatively a stranger to us."

"That is an accident which would be easily cured if your will in that
direction were as good as mine."

"But, perhaps, it isn't. One has to be explicit in these matters.
A daughter's happiness is a very serious consideration,--and some
people, among whom I confess that I am one, consider that like should
marry like. I should wish to see my daughter marry,--not only in my
own sphere, neither higher nor lower,--but with some one of my own
class."

"I hardly know, Mr. Wharton, whether that is intended to exclude me."

"Well,--to tell you the truth I know nothing about you. I don't know
who your father was,--whether he was an Englishman, whether he was
a Christian, whether he was a Protestant,--not even whether he was
a gentleman. These are questions which I should not dream of asking
under any other circumstances;--would be matters with which I should
have no possible concern, if you were simply an acquaintance. But
when you talk to a man about his daughter--!"

"I acknowledge freely your right of inquiry."

"And I know nothing of your means;--nothing whatever. I understand
that you live as a man of fortune, but I presume that you earn your
bread. I know nothing of the way in which you earn it, nothing of the
certainty or amount of your means."

"Those things are of course matters for inquiry; but may I presume
that you have no objection which satisfactory answers to such
questions may not remove?"

"I shall never willingly give my daughter to any one who is not the
son of an English gentleman. It may be a prejudice, but that is my
feeling."

"My father was certainly not an English gentleman. He was a
Portuguese." In admitting this, and in thus subjecting himself at
once to one clearly-stated ground of objection,--the objection being
one which, though admitted, carried with itself neither fault nor
disgrace,--Lopez felt that he had got a certain advantage. He could
not get over the fact that he was the son of a Portuguese parent, but
by admitting that openly he thought he might avoid