"A tradesman!" shrieked his sister; "have you no sense of what is due to your family—no pride?"
"Yes," said Charles, "I have the pride of independence."
"I consider myself very ill used," said Lord Penrhyn, "that you who owe me—I may say every thing—have not thought proper to consult me in this business."
"I came here," returned his young relative, "the moment I heard of it. I never supposed you could object to such an opening for my future exertions."
Lord Penrhyn hesitated, while his wife exclaimed, "If you had one atom of the spirit of a gentleman, you would not think of so disgracing your family."
"I really cannot see how I disgrace my family," replied her brother, "by an endeavour at honourable exertion."
"Well," cried she, "I only beg you will not give yourself the trouble of coming here again, and, as for your wife, I can tell you that I will never visit her."
"You have quite cured me," said Lord Penrhyn, now assured that he would have no conjugal opposition to encounter, "of ever doing any thing for a young man again. I give you up; if you like to throw away your own prospects, you may, but, as this will be the last time we shall meet under a roof, which, as your sister truly says, you are about to disgrace, I take the opportunity of saying that I consider your conduct the height of ingratitude."
