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Chapter 11

           "Butsupposing"saidMissChesneyquickly,"youhappentobeaNature’snoblemanyourself,andhavetheadvantageofwealthbesides,surelyyoumustfairlyallowthattoberatheragoodthing,mustn’tyou?"

           Luciolaughedalittle—

           "Iwillretortuponyouinyourownwordsfairlady,andsay‘Iguessyoumeancompliments.’WhatIventuretoimplyhowever,isthatevenwhenwealthdoesfalltothelotofoneofthese‘Nature’snoblemen,’itisnotbecauseofhisinnatenobilitythathewinssocialdistinction.Itissimplybecauseheisrich.Thatiswhatvexesme.Iforexample,haveendlessfriendswhoarenotmyfriendssomuchasthefriendsofmyincome.Theydonottroubletoinquireastomyantecedents—whatIamorwhereIcamefromisofnoimportance.NeitheraretheyconcernedinhowIliveorwhatIdo;whetherIamsickorwell,happyorunhappy,isequallywiththemamatterofindifference.Iftheyknewmoreaboutme,itwouldperhapsbebetterinthelongrun.Buttheydonotwanttoknow—theiraimsaresimpleandunconcealed—theywishtomakeasmuchoutofme,andsecureasmuchadvantagetothemselvesbytheiracquaintancewithmeaspossible.AndIgivethemtheirfullway—theygetalltheywant—andmore!"

           Hismusicalvoicelingeredwithacuriouslymelancholyimpressivenessonthelastword—andthistime,notonlyMissChesney,butweall,lookedathimasthoughdrawnbysomeirresistiblemagneticspell,andforamomenttherewassilence.

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