His Grace — page 89: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

HLS GRACE. 83 rally fancies that I must long for the sort of society in which she herself delights. But I shouldn’t really care about it, even if I had been born a member of it, and I think you and I will spend the London season here all by ourselves, Phil. That is, unless—unless I have to leave you before it begins.” I made some discreet observation to the effect that she could not be compelled to leave me any sooner than she felt inclined. I did not want to talk about Mr. Burgess, whom I hoped to get rid of by a gentle and gradual process of retreat, and I was by no means sure that I did not want Nora to have a season in Lon- don. Iam not, I believe, more worldly than another ; but how could I remain blind to the advantages that might accrue to my sister from being taken up by a duke and a duke’s mother? Hurstbourne, meanwhile, had converted her into so vehement a partisan that she actually found and proclaimed much to admire in Mr. Somers, a stupid little sandy-haired man, who had _ not even sense enough to keep his opinions to himself. He avowed that he was a Radical and appeared willing to go any lengths in the way of ordinary radicalism, though, for some reason best known to himself, he was prepared to lend his valuable support to the Irish policy of the existing administration. It seemed to me that we had got hold of about as weak a candidate as was obtainable, and I should not have been very much astonished to hear that a similar conviction was en- tertained by persons of greater importance than I. The Carlton, I presume, looked on at the contest with serenity, if not with absolute approval, since, in any event, the issue could not affect the Ministerial Major- ity. GEomichboo m cS