It amounted to a reciprocal dislike, an irritation provoked by each other's presence.

Dalmaine was beginning to suspect Egremont of some scheme too deep for his fathoming; it was easier for him to believe anything, than that idealism pure and simple was at the bottom of such behaviour.

Walter, on the other hand, viewed the politician's personality with something more than contempt.

Dalmaine embodied those forces of philistinism, that essence of the vulgar creed, which Egremont had undertaken to attack, and which, as he already felt, were likely to yield as little before his efforts as a stone wall under the blow of a naked hand.

Two such would do well to keep apart.
On returning to the drawing-room, Egremont kept watch for a vacant place by Paula.