“Not to any one who is like Fred.”

“Don’t decry your own brother, my dear.  Few young men have less against them, although he couldn’t take his degree—­I’m sure I can’t understand why, for he seems to me most clever.  And you know yourself he was thought equal to the best society at college.  So particular as you are, my dear, I wonder you are not glad to have such a gentlemanly young man for a brother.  You are always finding fault with Bob because he is not Fred.”

“Oh no, mamma, only because he is Bob.”

“Well, my dear, you will not find any Middlemarch young man who has not something against him.”

“But”—­here Rosamond’s face broke into a smile which suddenly revealed two dimples.  She herself thought unfavorably of these dimples and smiled little in general society.  “But I shall not marry any Middlemarch young man.”

“So it seems, my love, for you have as good as refused the pick of them; and if there’s better to be had, I’m sure there’s no girl better deserves it.”

“Excuse me, mamma—­I wish you would not say, `the pick of them.’”

“Why, what else are they?”

“I mean, mamma, it is rather a vulgar expression.”

“Very likely, my dear; I never was a good speaker.  What should I say?”

“The best of them.”

“Why, that seems just as plain and common.  If I had had time to think, I should have said, `the most superior young men.’  But with your education you must know.”

“What must Rosy know, mother?” said Mr. Fred, who had slid in unobserved through the half-open door while the ladies were bending over their work, and now going up to the fire stood with his back towards it, warming the soles of his slippers.

“Whether it’s right to say `superior young men,’” said Mrs. Vincy, ringing the bell.

“Oh, there are so many superior teas and sugars now.  Superior is getting to be shopkeepers’ slang.”

“Are you beginning to dislike slang, then?” said Rosamond, with mild gravity.

“Only the wrong sort.  All choice of words is slang.  It marks a class.”

“There is correct English:  that is not slang.”

“I beg your pardon:  correct English is the slang of prigs who write history and essays.  And the strongest slang of all is the slang of poets.”

“You will say anything, Fred, to gain your point.”

“Well, tell me whether it is slang or poetry to call an ox a leg-plaiter.”

“Of course you can call it poetry if you like.”

“Aha, Miss Rosy, you don’t know Homer from slang.  I shall invent a new game; I shall write bits of slang and poetry on slips, and give them to you to separate.”

“Dear me, how amusing it is to hear young people talk!” said Mrs. Vincy, with cheerful admiration.

“Have you got nothing else for my breakfast, Pritchard?” said Fred, to the servant who brought in coffee and buttered toast; while he walked round the table surveying the ham, potted beef, and other cold remnants, with an air of silent rejection, and polite forbearance from signs of disgust.