Intellectual birds, artists, poets, authors, travellers, distinguished coves, rising statesmen, under-secretaries, soldiers, swells, all sorts.

Not much show for him against that lot! Gad! What a rotten look-out! What a rotten world to be sure! Fancy losing Lucille!...

Should he put his fortunes to the touch, risk all, and propose to her.

Fellows did these things in such circumstances....
No--hardly fair to try to catch her like that before she had had at least one season, and knew what was what and who was who....

Hardly the clean potato--to take advantage of their long intimacy and try to trap her while she was a country mouse.
It was not as though he were clever and could hope for a great career and the power to offer her the position for which she was fitted.