"I don't know that I altogether agree with you there, Perry," said Mr. Blother. "I admit that it is intolerable that such a man as Potter should force an entrance into _your_ house, however you may choose to live. But you would hardly object to a peer entering the establishment of a man, let us say, like Bolster--an admitted member of the lower classes." "Edward would," said Tom. "He said the other day that however rich a man was he ought to be free from interference in his own house." "Oh, but Edward is an advanced Socialist," said Lord Arthur. "He would deny that a peer was any better than anybody else." "You would not go so far as to say, I suppose," said Mr. Blother, still addressing Mr. Perry, and at the same time handing him a mayonnaise of salmon, "that the House of Lords did not know what was good for the people--the common people, I mean--better than they know themselves?" "I should deny," said Mr. Perry, "that each member of the peerage knew better than each member of the proletariat what was best for him." "If that is the case," said Lord Arthur, in some excitement, "I beg to give you a month's notice, Mr. Perry. I can cope with Edward, but if _you_ are going to preach revolutionary views it is time I looked out for another situation. I only took service here because my father said that your political views were sound at bottom, although you went farther than he approved of in many ways." "Oh, dear Lord Arthur!" said Mrs. Perry in her pleasant sensible voice, "you know that you mustn't take everything that my husband says literally. I am sure that he only means that peers who have no official position should be careful how they exercise their rights over other people." "Quite so," said Mr. Perry, and went on to explain that noblemen like Lord Blueberry, who accepted a post under Government, even if it were not actually one of inspection, were going the right way to work. "As a postman," he said, "Victor Blueberry gains entrance to all the houses on his round in a way that cannot upset anybody, and none of those whom he visits can object to his making any investigations that he may wish to make, in the course of his duty, on their way of living. And the same is true of Hugh Rumborough, when he takes round their greens, although he is not in so strong a position because he is not an official. I only say that with the onward march of democracy it is no longer wise for a peer to pursue his investigations harshly." This seemed to satisfy Lord Arthur, who withdrew his notice, and left the room for a time to compose himself.