"Caleb and I must both learn, madam, to undergo with good humour, or at
least with patience, the ridicule which everywhere attaches itself to
poverty."
"You do yourself injustice, Master of Ravenswood, on my word of honour,"
answered his elder guest. "I believe I know more of your affairs than
you do yourself, and I hope to show you that I am interested in them;
and that--in short, that your prospects are better than you apprehend.
In the mean time, I can conceive nothing so respectable as the spirit
which rises above misfortune, and prefers honourable privations to debt
or dependence."
Whether from fear of offending the delicacy or awakening the pride of
the Master, the Lord Keeper made these allusions with an appearance
of fearful and hesitating reserve, and seemed to be afraid that he was
intruding too far, in venturing to touch, however lightly, upon such a
topic, even when the Master had led to it. In short, he appeared at once
pushed on by his desire of appearing friendly, and held back by the fear
of intrusion. It was no wonder that the Master of Ravenswood, little
acquainted as he then was with life, should have given this consummate
courtier credit for more sincerity than was probably to be found in
a score of his cast.
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