The end and aim of his life is to serve his country, and I believe that he would consider it sacrilege if he allowed any slighter things to divert at any time his mind from its main purpose.

He would feel like a priest who has broken his ordination vows." "That's all very well," Somerfield said coolly, "but there's nothing in life nowadays to make us quite so strenuous as that." "Isn't there ?" Penelope answered.

"You are an Englishman, and you should know.

Are you convinced, then, that your country today is at the height of her prosperity, safe and sound, bound to go on triumphant, prosperous, without the constant care of her men ?" Somerfield looked up at her in growing amazement.
"What on earth's got hold of you, Penelope ?" he asked.

"Have you been reading the sensational papers, or stuffing yourself up with jingoism, or what ?" She laughed.
"None of those things, I can assure you," she said.