The well-born fool is very often more sure of my respect than the working man who struggles to a fair measure of education.' Earwaker would have liked to comment on this with remarks personal to the speaker, but he feared to do so.

His silence, however, was eloquent to Peak, who resumed brusquely.
'I am not myself well-born,--though if my parents could have come into wealth early in their lives, perhaps I might reasonably have called myself so.

All sorts of arguments can be brought against my prejudice, but the prejudice is ineradicable.

I respect hereditary social standing, independently of the individual's qualities.

There's nothing of the flunkey in this, or I greatly deceive myself.