Well, my dear fellow, say what you will;
she is an old woman, and she'll never be younger. But do write to
Lufton, and tell him that this delay is inconvenient to me; he'll
do anything for you, I know." Mark said that he would write, and,
indeed, did do so; but he did not at first like the tone of the
conversation into which he was dragged. It was very painful to him to
hear Lady Lufton called an old woman, and hardly less so to discuss
the propriety of Lord Lufton's parting with his property. This was
irksome to him, till habit made it easy. But by degrees his feelings
became less acute, and he accustomed himself to his friend Sowerby's
mode of talking.
And then on Saturday afternoon they all went over to Barchester.
Harold Smith during the last forty-eight hours had become crammed
to overflowing with Sarawak, Labuan, New Guinea, and the Salomon
Islands. As is the case with all men labouring under temporary
specialities, he for the time had faith in nothing else, and was
not content that any one near him should have any other faith. They
called him Viscount Papua and Baron Borneo; and his wife, who headed
the joke against him, insisted on having her title. Miss Dunstable
swore that she would wed none but a South Sea islander; and to Mark
was offered the income and duties of Bishop of Spices.
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