[Demos by George Gissing]@TWC D-Link book
Demos

CHAPTER I
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The philosophical youth sank into his favourite attitude--legs extended, hands in pockets, nose in air.
'So, I suppose,' he said presently, 'that fellow really has been ill ?' Adela was sitting in thought; she looked up with a shadow of annoyance on her face.
'That fellow ?' 'Eldon, you know.' 'I want to ask you a question,' said his sister, interlocking her fingers and pressing them against her throat.

'Why do you always speak in a contemptuous way of Mr.Eldon ?' 'You know I don't like the individual.' 'What cause has "the individual" given you ?' 'He's a snob.' 'I'm not sure that I know what that means,' replied Adela, after thinking for a moment with downcast eyes.
'Because you never read anything.

He's a fellow who raises a great edifice of pretence on rotten foundations.' 'What can you mean?
Mr.Eldon is a gentleman.

What pretence is he guilty of ?' 'Gentleman!' uttered her brother with much scorn.

'Upon my word, that _is_ the vulgarest of denominations! Who doesn't call himself so nowadays! A man's a man, I take it, and what need is there to lengthen the name?
Thank the powers, we don't live in feudal ages.


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