If your grandmother had lived,' he added thoughtfully, 'she would have been eighty-four this week on Thursday.' 'The 23rd of June.

Yes, I remember.' Mr.Lord swallowed his tea at two draughts, and put down the cup.
Seemingly refreshed, he looked about him with a half smile, and said quietly: 'I've had the pleasure of punishing a scoundrel to-day.

That's worth more than the Jubilee.' Nancy waited for an explanation, but it was not vouchsafed.
'A scoundrel ?' she asked.
Her father nodded--the nod which signified his pleasure that the subject should not be pursued.

Nancy could only infer that he spoke of some incident in the course of business, as indeed was the case.
He had no particular aptitude for trade, and that by which he lived (he had entered upon it thirty years ago rather by accident than choice) was thoroughly distasteful to him.

As a dealer in pianofortes, he came into contact with a class of people who inspired him with a savage contempt, and of late years his business had suffered considerably from the competition of tradesmen who knew nothing of such conflicts between sentiment and interest.