None the less his announcement, quietly as he had made it, was a shock to her.

She did not, however, go back upon her work; and when she spoke it was rather to make sure that he was not going to act upon an unconsidered impulse.
"It will damage your career," she said.

"Of course you have thought of that." "It will alter it," he answered, "if she comes to me.

I shall go out of Parliament, of course." "And your practice ?" "That will suffer too for a while no doubt.

But even if I lost it altogether I should not be a poor man." "You have saved money ?" "No.