"At least," said he to himself, "I'll never confess to any one that I'm weak enough to be impressed by this sort of thing.

Anyhow, to confess a weakness is to encourage it ...

No wonder society is able to suck in and destroy so many fellows of my sort! If _I_ am tempted what must it mean to the ordinary man ?" He noted with angry shame that he felt a swelling of pride because he, of so lowly an origin, born no better than the machine-like lackeys, had been able to push himself in upon--yes, up among--these people on terms of equality.

And it was, for the moment, in vain that he reminded himself that most of them were of full as lowly origin as he; that few indeed could claim to be more than one generation removed from jack-boots and jeans; that the most elegant had more relations among the "vulgar herd" than they had among the "high folks." "What are you looking so glum and sour about ?" asked Arkwright.
He startled guiltily.

So, his mean and vulgar thoughts had been reflected in his face.