"Because it is a prudent policy in this country to surrender something trifling up to ridicule. If people can abuse your hat or your carriage, or the shape of your nose, or a wart on your chin, they let slip a thousand more important matters. 'Tis the wisdom of the camel-driver, who gives up his gown for the camel to trample on, that he may escape himself." "How droll you are, Ferrers! Well, I shall turn in, and read the papers; and you--" "Shall pay my visits and rejoice in my hat." "Good day to you; by the by, your friend, Maltravers, has just passed, looking thoughtful, and talking to himself. What's the matter with him?" "Lamenting, perhaps, that he, too, does not wear an odd hat for gentlemen like you to laugh at, and leave the rest of him in peace. Good day." On went Ferrers, and soon found himself in the Mall of the Park. Here he was joined by Mr. Templeton. "Well, Lumley," said the latter (and it may be here remarked that Mr. Templeton now exhibited towards his nephew a greater respect of manner and tone than he had thought it necessary to observe before)--"well, Lumley, and have you seen Lord Saxingham?" "I have, sir; and I regret to say--" "I thought so--I thought it," interrupted Templeton: "no gratitude in public men--no wish, in high place, to honour virtue!" "Pardon me; Lord Saxingham declares that he should be delighted to forward your views--that no man more deserves a peerage; but that--" "Oh, yes; always /buts/!" "But that there are so many claimants at present whom it is impossible to satisfy; and--and--but I feel I ought not to go on." "Proceed, sir, I beg." "Why, then, Lord Saxingham is (I must be frank) a man who has a great regard for his own family. Your marriage (a source, my dear uncle, of the greatest gratification to /me/) cuts off the probable chance of your fortune and title, if you acquire the latter, descending to--" "Yourself!" put in Templeton, drily. "Your relation seems, for the first time, to have discovered how dear your interests are to him." "For me, individually, sir, my relation does not care a rush--but he cares a great deal for any member of his house being rich and in high station. It increases the range and credit of his connections; and Lord Saxingham is a man whom connections help to keep great. To be plain with you, he will not stir in this business, because he does not see how his kinsman is to be benefited, or his house strengthened." "Public virtue!" exclaimed Templeton. "Virtue, my dear uncle, is a female: as long as she is private property, she is excellent; but public virtue, like any other public lady, is a common prostitute." "Pshaw!" grunted Templeton, who was too much out of humour to read his nephew the lecture he might otherwise have done upon the impropriety of his simile; for Mr. Templeton was one of those men who hold it vicious to talk of vice as existing in the world; he was very much shocked to hear anything called by its proper name.