<<"But I do not want to be a clerk--I would rather be a priest. At least I would see something of the world."
"You're too old," Ananda said equitably.>>

One way or another, the first speaker's line is delightfully ironic. And if Ananda's is not itself ironic, the author's choice of "equitably" may be. To call someone "too old" may be considered offensive--and yet, it was equitably said.