Practise the strictest economy at home, to have a margin for going abroad.' Economy, which Sir William had never practised, but to which, after exhausting all other practices, he now raised an altar, as the Athenians did to the unknown God, was a topic likely to prolong itself on the baronet's lips, and Somerset contrived to interrupt him by asking-- 'Captain De Stancy, too, has gone?
Has the artillery, then, left the barracks ?' 'No,' said Sir William.

'But my son has made use of his leave in running over to see his sister at Nice.' The current of quiet meditation in Somerset changed to a busy whirl at this reply.

That Paula should become indifferent to his existence from a sense of superiority, physical, spiritual, or social, was a sufficiently ironical thing; but that she should have relinquished him because of the presence of a rival lent commonplace dreariness to her cruelty.
Sir William, noting nothing, continued in the tone of clever childishness which characterized him: 'It is very singular how the present situation has been led up to by me.

Policy, and policy alone, has been the rule of my conduct for many years past; and when I say that I have saved my family by it, I believe time will show that I am within the truth.

I hope you don't let your passions outrun your policy, as so many young men are apt to do.