"
"But other men keep hounds and farm too," said the Earl.
"But Chiltern is not like other men. He gives his whole mind to it,
and finds full employment. And then he is quite happy, and so is she.
What more can you want for him? Everybody respects him."
"That goes a very great way," said the Earl. Then he thanked Phineas
cordially, and felt that now as ever he had done his duty by his
family.
There was no renewal of the passionate conversation which had taken
place on the ramparts, but much of tenderness and of sympathy arose
from it. Lady Laura took upon herself the tone and manners of an
elder sister,--of a sister very much older than her brother,--and
Phineas submitted to them not only gracefully but with delight to
himself. He had not thanked her for her love when she expressed it,
and he did not do so afterwards. But he accepted it, and bowed to it,
and recognised it as constituting one of the future laws of his life.
He was to do nothing of importance without her knowledge, and he
was to be at her command should she at any time want assistance in
England.
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