human
Oh? in a prolonged tone of mild surprise.
gpt
They quite misinformed me in town--not at Verney House--I did not allow myself time to call there; but my agents, they assured me that your uncle, the Honourable Kiffyn Fulke Verney, was at present down here at Ware, and a most exquisite retreat it certainly is. My occupations, and I may say my habits, call me a good deal among the residences of our aristocracy, he continued, with a careless grandeur and a slight wave of his hand, throwing himself a little more back,
human
--and Mr. Jos. Larkin shrugged and winced a little, and shook his head--
gpt
Do _you_ know Sir Thomas?--_no_--I dare say--he's quite a new man, Sir Thomas--we all look on him in that light in our part of the world--a--in fact, a _parvenu_, which word Mr. Larkin pronounced as if it were spelled _pair vennew_.
human
But, you know, the British Constitution, every man may go up--we can't help it--we can't keep them down. Money is power, Mr. Verney, as the old Earl of Coachhouse once said to me--and so it is; and when they make a lot of it, they come up, and we must only receive them, and make the best of them.
gpt
Have you had breakfast, Mr. Larkin?
human
Thanks, yes--at Llwynan--a very sweet spot--one of the sweetest, I should say, in this beauteous country.
gpt
I don't know--I dare say--I think you wished to see me on business, Mr. Larkin?
human
I must say, Mr. Verney, you will permit me, that I really have been taken a little by surprise. I had expected confidently to find your uncle, the Honourable Kiffyn Fulke Verney, here, where I had certainly no hope of having the honour of finding you.