That sort of breeding is what one wants to
get through the mud with."
Then it was that the cousin recommended a letter to Lord Chiltern.
Lord Chiltern was at the present moment to be regarded as the lady's
guardian, and was the lover's intimate friend. A direct proposal had
already been made to the young lady, and this should now be repeated
to the gentleman who for the time stood in the position of her
father. The Squire for a while hesitated, declaring that he was
averse to make his secret known to Lord Chiltern. "One doesn't want
every fellow in the country to know it," he said. But in answer to
this the cousin was very explicit. There could be but little doubt
that Lord Chiltern knew the secret already; and he would certainly
be rather induced to keep it as a secret than to divulge it if it
were communicated to him officially. And what other step could the
Squire take? It would not be likely that he should be asked again to
Harrington Hall with the express view of repeating his offer. The
cousin was quite of opinion that a written proposition should be
made; and on that very night the cousin himself wrote out a letter
for the Squire to copy in the morning.
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