"It's the swagger thing to do, don't you know?" said Miss Burgoyne,
whose phraseology sometimes made him wince. "It's the latest fad among
people who have no formal family ties. I can imagine it will be the
jolliest thing possible. Instead of the big family gathering, where half
the relations hate the sight of the other half, you have all nice
people, picked friends and acquaintances; and you go away down to a
place where you can have your choice of rooms, where you have every
freedom and no responsibility, where you can have everything you want
and no trouble in getting it. Instead of foggy London, the sea; and at
night, instead of Sir Roger de Coverley with a lot of hobbledehoys, you
have a charming little dance, on a good floor, with capital partners.
Come, Master Lionel, change your mind; and you and I will go down
together on Christmas morning in the Pullman. Most of the others are
there already; it's only one or two poor professionals who will have to
go down on Christmas-day."
But Lionel shook his head.
"Duty--duty," he murmured.
"Duty!" said she, contemptuously. "Duty is a thing you owe to other
people, which no one ever thinks of paying to you.
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