"Ah don't make me explain what you've only to look at to see!" his mother returned as if with a richness of allusion to dark elements in her fate. "Besides," he easily went on, "there's other money in the world than Julia's. I might come by some of that." "Do you mean Mr. Carteret's?" The question made him laugh as her feeble reference five minutes before to the House of Lords had done. But she pursued, too full of her idea to take account of such a poor substitute for an answer: "Let me tell you one thing, for I've known Charles Carteret much longer than you and I understand him better. There's nothing you could do that would do you more good with him than to marry Julia. I know the way he looks at things and I know exactly how that would strike him. It would please him, it would charm him; it would be the thing that would most prove to him that you're in earnest. You need, you know, to do something of that sort," she said as for plain speaking. "Haven't I come in for Harsh?" asked Nick. "Oh he's very canny. He likes to see people rich. _Then_ he believes in them--then he's likely to believe more. He's kind to you because you're your father's son; but I'm sure your being poor takes just so much off." "He can remedy that so easily," said Nick, smiling still. "Is my being kept by Julia what you call my making an effort for myself?" Lady Agnes hesitated; then "You needn't insult Julia!" she replied. "Moreover, if I've _her_ money I shan't want his," Nick unheedingly remarked. Again his mother waited before answering; after which she produced: "And pray wouldn't you wish to be independent?" "You're delightful, dear mother--you're very delightful! I particularly like your conception of independence. Doesn't it occur to you that at a pinch I might improve my fortune by some other means than by making a mercenary marriage or by currying favour with a rich old gentleman? Doesn't it occur to you that I might work?" "Work at politics? How does that make money, honourably?" "I don't mean at politics." "What do you mean then?"--and she seemed to challenge him to phrase it if he dared. This demonstration of her face and voice might have affected him, for he remained silent and she continued: "Are you elected or not?" "It seems a dream," he rather flatly returned.