"
"No, no. I didn't imagine your doing it at once, sir."
"Ah, but nothing can prevent me from doing a thing
when once I take the bit in my teeth," said the father,
with the pleasure which men of weak will sometimes take
in recognising their weakness. "How does their new house
get on?"
"I believe they expect to be in it before New Year."
"Will they be a great addition to society?"
asked Bromfield Corey, with unimpeachable seriousness.
"I don't quite know what you mean," returned the son,
a little uneasily.
"Ah, I see that you do, Tom."
"No one can help feeling that they are all people of good
sense and--right ideas."
"Oh, that won't do. If society took in all the people
of right ideas and good sense, it would expand beyond
the calling capacity of its most active members.
Even your mother's social conscientiousness could not
compass it. Society is a very different sort of thing
from good sense and right ideas. It is based upon them,
of course, but the airy, graceful, winning superstructure
which we all know demands different qualities.
Have your friends got these qualities,--which may be felt,
but not defined?"
The son laughed. "To tell you the truth, sir, I don't
think they have the most elemental ideas of society,
as we understand it. I don't believe Mrs. Lapham ever
gave a dinner.
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