"It shows the Arrowpoints' good sense, however, to have adopted the affair, after the fuss in the papers," said Sir Hugo. "And disowning your only child because of a mésalliance is something like disowning your one eye: everybody knows it's yours, and you have no other to make an appearance with."
"As to mésalliance, there's no blood on any side," said Lady Pentreath. "Old Admiral Arrowpoint was one of Nelson's men, you know—a doctor's son. And we all know how the mother's money came."
"If there were any mésalliance in the case, I should say it was on Klesmer's side," said Deronda.
"Ah, you think it is a case of the immortal marrying the mortal. What is your opinion?" said Sir Hugo, looking at Gwendolen.
"I have no doubt that Herr Klesmer thinks himself immortal. But I daresay his wife will bum as much incense before him as he requires," said Gwendolen. She had recovered any composure that she might have lost.
"Don't you approve of a wife burning incense before her husband?" said Sir Hugo, with an air of jocoseness.
"Oh yes," said Gwendolen, "if it were only
