All this talk goes for nothing.' 'Ah, but, Mr.Garston, young people want guidance,' observed Mrs.
Fullerton impressively, for Aunt Philippa was beginning to sob, partly from the effects of wasted eloquence, and perhaps with a little shortness of breathing: anyway, her anger was working itself out.

'If you were to advise Ursula as you would Sara, your influence might induce her to change her mind.' 'I cannot endorse your opinion, Mrs.Fullerton,' returned Uncle Brian drily.

'I am far too keen an observer of human nature to think we can talk sense to deaf ears with any benefit .-- Ursula, my child,' turning to me with a smile that might have been kinder, but perhaps he meant it to be so, 'there is not a grain of sense in your scheme: in spite of Cunliffe's eloquence, it will not hold water; in fact, in a little while you will be glad to come back to us again.

When you do, I think I can promise that we will not laugh at you more than once a day, and then moderately.' Now, this speech of Uncle Brian's made me very angry.

No doubt he meant to be kind, and to show me that if my scheme failed I might come home to them again; but I was so much in earnest that his satire and his laughing at me hurt me more than all Aunt Philippa's hard speeches.