This was marvellous to him,--that his wife, who as Lady Glencora
Palliser had been so conspicuous for a wild disregard of social
rules as to be looked upon by many as an enemy of her own class,
should be so depressed by not being allowed to be the Queen's
head servant as to descend to personal invective! 'I'm afraid,'
said he, attempting to smile, 'that it won't come within the
compass of my office to effect or even to propose any radical
change in her Grace's apparel. But don't you think that you and
I can afford to ignore all that?'

'I can certainly. She may be an antiquated Eve for me.'

'I hope, Cora, you are not still disappointed because I did not
agree with you when you spoke about the place for yourself.'

'Not because you did not agree with me,--but because you did not
think me fit to be trusted with any judgement of my own. I don't
know why I'm always to be looked upon as different from other
women,--as though I were half a savage.'

'You are what you made yourself, and I have always rejoiced that
you are as you are, fresh, untrammelled, without many prejudices
which afflict other ladies, and free from bonds by which they are
cramped and confined. Of course such a turn of character is
subject to certain dangers of its own.'

'There is no doubt about the dangers. The chances are that when
I see her Grace, I shall tell her what I think about her.'