Lord Marshmoreton resumed his remarks

　　Lord Marshmoreton resumed his remarks. Lady Caroline had sent himto the cottage to be stern, and his firm resolve to be stern lenthis style of speech something of the measured solemnity and carefulphrasing of his occasional orations in the House of Lords.
　　"I have no wish to be unduly hard upon the indiscretions of Youth.
　　Youth is the period of Romance, when the heart rules the head. Imyself was once a young man.""Well, you're practically that now," said George.
　　"Eh?" cried Lord Marshmoreton, forgetting the thread of hisdiscourse in the shock of pleased surprise.
　　"You don't look a day over forty.""Oh, come, come, my boy! . . . I mean, Mr. Bevan.""You don't honestly.""I'm forty-eight.""The Prime of Life.""And you don't think I look it?""You certainly don't.""Well, well, well! By the way, have you tobacco, my boy. I camewithout my pouch.""Just at your elbow. Pretty good stuff. I bought it in the village.""The same I smoke myself.""Quite a coincidence.""Distinctly.""Match?""Thank you, I have one."George filled his own pipe. The thing was becoming a love-feast.
　　"What was I saying?" said Lord Marshmoreton, blowing a comfortablecloud. "Oh, yes." He removed his pipe from his mouth with a touch ofembarrassment. "Yes, yes, to be sure!"There was an awkward silence.
　　"You must see for yourself," said the earl, "how impossible it is."George shook his head.
　　"I may be slow at grasping a thing, but I'm bound to say I can'tsee that."Lord Marshmoreton recalled some of the things his sister had toldhim to say. "For one thing, what do we know of you? You are aperfect stranger.""Well, we're all getting acquainted pretty quick, don't you think?
　　I met your son in Piccadilly and had a long talk with him, and nowyou are paying me a neighbourly visit.""This was not intended to be a social call.""But it has become one.""And then, that is one point I wish to make, you know. Ours is anold family, I would like to remind you that there wereMarshmoretons in Belpher before the War of the Roses.""There were Bevans in Brooklyn before the B.R.T.""I beg your pardon?""I was only pointing out that I can trace my ancestry a long way.
　　You have to trace things a long way in Brooklyn, if you want tofind them.""I have never heard of Brooklyn.""You've heard of New York?""Certainly.""New York's one of the outlying suburbs."Lord Marshmoreton relit his pipe. He had a feeling that they werewandering from the point.
　　"It is quite impossible.""I can't see it.""Maud is so young.""Your daughter could be nothing else.""Too young to know her own mind," pursued Lord Marshmoreton,resolutely crushing down a flutter of pleasure. There was no doubtthat this singularly agreeable man was making things very difficultfor him. It was disarming to discover that he was really capitalcompany--the best, indeed, that the earl could remember to havediscovered in the more recent period of his rather lonely life. "Atpresent, of course, she fancies that she is very much in love withyou . . . It is absurd!""You needn't tell me that," said George. Really, it was only thefact that people seemed to go out of their way to call at hiscottage and tell him that Maud loved him that kept him from feelinghis cause perfectly hopeless. "It's incredible. It's a miracle.""You are a romantic young man, and you no doubt for the momentsuppose that you are in love with her.""No!" George was not going to allow a remark like that to passunchallenged. "You are wrong there. As far as I am concerned, thereis no question of its being momentary or supposititious or anythingof that kind. I am in love with your daughter. I was from the firstmoment I saw her. I always shall be. She is the only girl in theworld!""Stuff and nonsense!""Not at all. Absolute, cold fact.""You have known her so little time.""Long enough."Lord Marshmoreton sighed. "You are upsetting things terribly.""Things are upsetting me terribly.""You are causing a great deal of trouble and annoyance.""So did Romeo.""Eh?""I said--So did Romeo.""I don't know anything about Romeo.""As far as love is concerned, I begin where he left off.""I wish I could persuade you to be sensible.""That's just what I think I am.""I wish I could get you to see my point of view.""I do see your point of view. But dimly. You see, my own takes upsuch a lot of the foreground."There was a pause.