No, it must be her ease, her sureness of herself that banished any awkward self-consciousness both in herself and her companions, and allowed a man to do himself justice.
He forgot her recent snubs and went off at score about his own affairs, his college, his prospects of winning a famous mathematical prize given by the Berlin Academy, his own experience of German Universities, and the shortcomings of Oxford.

On these last he became scornfully voluble.
He was inclined to think he should soon cut it, and go in for public life.

These university towns were really very narrowing! "Certainly," said Constance amiably.

Was he thinking of Parliament?
Well, no, not at once.

But journalism was always open to a man with brains, and through journalism one got into the House, when the chance came along.