"Hang it all, Jem, don't do that--don't be rude to the young fellow," cried the baronet in dismay. "I--I don't approve of it at all, Jack. I don't really." "But the thing's done, man--the thing's done." "Then why do you send the fellow to me?" "Well, I thought it would be a bit civil to you, Jem, and respectful, and--" "It is not either," cried the major. "I look upon it, knowing as you do how I am attached to Glynne, as a regular insult." "Now, what nonsense, Jem." "It is not nonsense, Jack. The fellow is a mere machine--a good-looking, well-built machine, with not a thought above low-class footraces, and training, and rowing, and football, and cricket." "And not bad things either," said the baronet, hotly. "No, sir," replied the major, drawing himself up, "not bad things, but good things if a young man takes to them as amusements to keep his nature in subjection, and to bring it to its finest state of development, that he may have a sound brain in a sound body." "Hear, hear!" cried Sir John. "But bad, rotten, and blackguardly things when a man gives the whole of his mind to them, and has no more ambition than leads him to be the winner of a cup in a walking match." "Oh, rubbish!" cried the baronet, warmly. "Rolph's a gentleman." "Then he's a confoundedly bad specimen of the class, Jack." "You're as prejudiced as an old woman, Jem," cried the baronet, angrily. "Perhaps I am," replied his brother: "but it isn't prejudice to see that this fellow can't talk to a girl on any subject but athletics. I haven't patience with him. I always hated to see him here." "And I haven't patience with you, Jem; 'pon my honour, I haven't. Why, what next? Here, out of respect to you as my brother, I sent my daughter's future husband to you, and you tell me to my face that you will insult him. I won't have it, sir; I say I won't have it. You're intolerable. You're getting beyond bearing, and--and--confound it all, I will not have it! Pretty thing, indeed, when a man mayn't choose a husband for his own child." The baronet took a few strides this way and that way, grew scarlet as he spoke, and ended by taking off his grey hat and dabbing his shining forehead. "I've too much love for Glynne, and too much respect for her mother's memory to stand by silently and see such a miserable bargain concluded; and I enter my protest against what must turn out an unhappy match," said the major. "It will turn out nothing of the sort, sir," cried the baronet, hotly; "and, look here, Jem, it's time we came to an understanding. I will not have your dictatorial mess-room manners brought into my establishment; and I tell you once for all, if you can't conform to the simple home life of a country squire's house, the sooner you go, sir, the better."