Your father came to me the day after I was to have met you at Lady Monogram’s party.  I told him then that I would not write to you till I had taken a day or two to consider what he said to me;—­and also that I thought it better that you should have a day or two to consider what he might say to you.  He has now repeated what he said at our first interview, almost with more violence; for I must say that I think he has allowed himself to be violent when it was surely unnecessary.

The long and short of it is this.  He altogether disapproves of your promise to marry me.  He has given three reasons;—­first that I am in trade; secondly that I am much older than you, and...