>>5682950Aloysius Ambrose, trembling a little
-How can you place such shameful imaginings upon Beatrice Wentworth! She is so virtuous and fair!
Cyril responds with an implacable, dissolute languor:
-Beatrice comes from no family of worth, none that merit any attention. Her father, Isambard Wentworth - he of the ironworks, ordnance and foundry - is indecorously wealthy, of course - the war has made it so. Yet her upbringing must have been insufferably vulgar, contemptible as it is for all those given in common tribute to the pursuit of commerce. She could be descended from pirates, or brigands, for all we know! Now when I heard that Lady Temperance Annesley had invited this Beatrice to her Water Banquet, and not myself, of course I concocted the perfect act of revenge. I shall ruin her new favourite! After all polite society sees what comes of the friendship of Lady Temperance and Beatrice Wentworth, all will shun her!
