What, I pray, may be
your age? We may ask, without offence, such a question of men: the case
where the other sex is concerned is, you are aware, something
different."
The youth seemed studiously desirous of changing the direction of the
dialogue.
"Man or woman, I see, for my part, no harm in the question. But do call
me Forrester, or Mark Forrester, whichever pleases you best, and not
mister, as you just now called me. I go by no other name. Mister is a
great word, and moves people quite too far off from one another. I never
have any concern with a man that I have to mister and sir. I call them
'squire because that's a title the law gives them; and when I speak to
you, I say 'squire, or Master Colleton. You may be a 'squire yourself,
but whether you are or are not, it makes no difference, for you get the
name from your father, who is. Then, ag'in, I call you master--because,
you see, you are but a youth, and have a long run to overtake my years,
few as you may think them.
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