human
You are Miss Obenreizer's guardian, pursued Vendale.
gpt
I ask you to confer upon me the greatest of all favours--I ask you to give me her hand in marriage.
human
Mr. Vendale, he said,
gpt
I will wait, rejoined Vendale,
human
One word before I recover myself. You have said nothing about this to my niece?
gpt
I have opened my whole heart to your niece. And I have reason to hope--
human
What! interposed Obenreizer.
gpt
You have made a proposal to my niece, without first asking for my authority to pay your addresses to her? He struck his hand on the table, and lost his hold over himself for the first time in Vendale's experience of him.
human
Sir! he exclaimed, indignantly,
gpt
I can only justify it as one of our English institutions, said Vendale quietly.
human
You admire our English institutions. I can't honestly tell you, Mr. Obenreizer, that I regret what I have done. I can only assure you that I have not acted in the matter with any intentional disrespect towards yourself. This said, may I ask you to tell me plainly what objection you see to favouring my suit?
gpt
I see this immense objection, answered Obenreizer,
human
he added, lowering himself again gradually to his customary polite level,
gpt
One moment, said Vendale, interposing on his side.
human
I may claim, without any great arrogance, to know more of my country people in general, and of my own friends in particular, than you do. In the estimation of everybody whose opinion is worth having, my wife herself would be the one sufficient justification of my marriage. If I did not feel certain--observe, I say certain--that I am offering her a position which she can accept without so much as the shadow of a humiliation--I would never (cost me what it might) have asked her to be my wife. Is there any other obstacle that you see? Have you any personal objection to me?
gpt
Personal objection! he exclaimed.
human
Dear sir, the bare question is painful to me.
gpt
We are both men of business, pursued Vendale,