Yet Lesbia writes as if she were in raptures with her chaperon, and with
all the people she meets. And then Georgie tells me that this Mr.
Smithson whom Lesbia has refused is a very important personage, a
millionaire, and very likely to be made a peer.'
'A new peer,' said Mary, making a wry face. 'One would rather have an
old commoner. I always fancy a newly-made peer must be like a
newly-built house, glaring, and staring, and arid and uncongenial.'
'_C'est selon_,' said Lady Maulevrier. 'One would not despise a Chatham
or a Wellington because of the newness of his title; but a man who has
only money to recommend him----'
Lady Maulevrier left her sentence unfinished, save by a shrug; while
Mary made another wry face. She had that grand contempt for sordid
wealth which is common to young people who have never known the want of
money.
'I hope Lesbia will marry some one better than Mr. Smithson,' she said.
'I hope so too, dear; and yet do you know I have an idea that Lesbia
means to accept Mr. Smithson, or she would hardly have consented to go
to his house for the Henley week.
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