Comparison, comparison, continually--and far
more venomous than the foolish, feeble sort of stuff which is only
Anglophobia and water; and yet Hooper hasn't the courage to speak out
either--it's a morbid envy of England that is afraid to declare itself
openly and can only deal in hints and innuendoes. What can Lady Adela
see in a fellow like that? Of course he writes puffing paragraphs about
her and sends them to her; but what good are they to her, coming from
America? She wants to be recognized as a clever woman by her own set.
She appeals to the _dii majorum gentium_; what does she care for the
verdict of Washington or Philadelphia or New York?"
Well, Lionel had no opinion to express on this point; on a previous
occasion he had wondered why these two augurs had not been content to
agree, seeing that the wide Atlantic rolled between their respective
spheres of operation.
"I have been favored," resumed Mr. Quirk, more blandly, "with a sight of
some portions of Lady Adela's new novel."
"Already?"
"Oh, it isn't nearly finished yet; but she has had the earlier chapters
set up in type, so that she could submit them to--to her particular
friends, in fact.
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