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Chapter 10
It was not a week, since Miss Diana Parker had been told by her feelings that the Sea Air would probably, in her present state, be the death of her; and now she was at Sanditon, intending to make some Stay and without appearing to have the slightest recollection of having written or felt any such thing. It was impossible for Charlotte not to suspect a good deal of fancy in such an extraordinary state of health. Disorders and Recoveries so very much out of the common way seemed more like the amusement of eager Minds in want of employment than of actual afflictions and releif. The Parkers were no doubt a family of Imagination and quick feelings, and while the eldest Brother found vent for his superfluity of sensation as a Projector, the Sisters were perhaps driven to dissipate theirs in the invention of odd complaints. The whole of their mental vivacity was evidently not so employed; Part was laid out in a Zeal for being useful. It would seem that they must either be very busy for the Good of others or else extremely ill themselves. Some natural delicacy of Constitution, in fact, with an unfortunate turn for Medecine, especially quack Medecine, had given them an early tendency at various times to various Disorders; the rest of their sufferings was from Fancy, the love of Distinction and the love of the Wonderful. They had Charitable hearts and many amiable feelings; but a spirit of restless activity and the glory of doing more than anybody else had their share in every exertion of Benevolence; and there was Vanity in all they did, as well as in all they endured. Mr. and Mrs. P. spent a great part of the Evening at the Hotel; but Charlotte had only two or three veiws of Miss Diana posting over the Down after a House for this Lady whom she had never seen and who had never employed her. She was not made acquainted with the others till the following day when, being removed into Lodgings and all the party continuing quite well, their Brother and Sister and herself were entreated to drink tea with them. They were in one of the Terrace Houses; and she found them arranged for the Evening in a small neat Drawing room with a beautiful view of the Sea if they had chosen it; but though it had been a very fair English Summer-day, not only was there no open window, but the Sopha and the Table, and the Establishment in general was all at the other end of the room by a brisk fire. Miss P. whom, remembering the three Teeth drawn in one day, Charlotte approached with a peculiar degree of respectful Compassion, was not very unlike her Sister in person or manner, tho’ more thin and worn by Illness and Medecine, more relaxed in air and more subdued in voice. She talked, however, the whole Evening as incessantly as Diana; and excepting that she sat with salts in her hand, took Drops two or three times from one out of several Phials already at home on the Mantelpeice, and made a great many odd faces and contortions, Charlotte could perceive no symptoms of illness which she, in the boldness of her own good health, would not have undertaken to cure by putting out the fire, opening the Window and disposing of the Drops and the salts by means of one or the other. She had had considerable curiosity to see Mr. Arthur Parker; and having fancied him a very puny, delicate-looking young man, the smallest very materially of not a robust Family, was astonished to find him quite as tall as his Brother and a great deal Stouter - Broad made and Lusty - and with no other look of an Invalide than a sodden complexion. Diana was evidently the cheif of the family -- principal Mover and Actor - she had been on her Feet the whole Morning, on Mrs. G.’s business or their own, and was still the most alert of the three. Susan had only superintended their final removal from the Hotel, bringing two heavy Boxes herself, and Arthur had found the air so cold that he had merely walked from one House to the other as nimbly as he could, and boasted much of sitting by the fire till he had cooked up a very good one. Diana, whose exercise had been too domestic to admit of calculation but who, by her own account, had not once sat down during the space of seven hours, confessed herself a little tired. She had been too successful, however, for much fatigue; for not only had she -- by walking and talking down a thousand difficulties -- at last secured a proper House at eight guineas per week for Mrs. G.; she had also opened so many Treaties with Cooks, Housemaids, Washerwomen and Bathing Women that Mrs. G. would have little more to do on her arrival than to wave her hand and collect them around her for choice. Her concluding effort in the cause had been a few polite lines of Information to Mrs. G. herself, time not allowing for the circuitous train of intelligence which had been hitherto kept up; and she was now regaling in the delight of opening the first Trenches of an acquaintance with such a powerful discharge of unexpected Obligation. Mr. and Mrs. P. and Charlotte had seen two Post chaises crossing the Down to the Hotel as they were setting off, a joyful sight and full of speculation. The Miss P.s and Arthur had also seen something; they could distinguish from their window that there was an arrival at the Hotel, but not its amount. Their Visitors answered for two Hack-Chaises. Could it be the Camberwell Seminary? No - No. Had there been a third carriage, perhaps it might; but it was very generally agreed that two Hack chaises could never contain a seminary. Mr. P. was confident of another new Family. When they were all finally seated, after some removals to look at the Sea and the Hotel, Charlotte's place was by Arthur, who was sitting next to the Fire with a degree of Enjoyment which gave a good deal of merit to his civility in wishing her to take his Chair. There was nothing dubious in her manner of declining it and he sat down again with much satisfaction. She drew back her Chair to have all the advantage of his Person as a screen and was very thankful for every inch of Back and Shoulders beyond her preconceived idea. Arthur was heavy in Eye as well as figure but by no means indisposed to talk; and while the other four were cheifly engaged together, he evidently felt it no penance to have a fine young Woman next to him, requiring in common Politeness some attention; as his Brother, who felt the decided want of some motive for action, some Powerful object of animation for him, observed with considerable pleasure. Such was the influence of Youth and Bloom that he began even to make a sort of apology for having a Fire. "We should not have had one at home," said he, "but the Sea air is always damp. I am not afraid of anything so much as Damp." "I am so fortunate," said C. "as never to know whether the air is damp or dry. It has always some property that is wholesome and invigorating to me." "I like the Air too, as well as anybody can," replied Arthur. "I am very fond of standing at an open Window when there is no Wind - but, unluckily, a Damp air does not like me. It gives me the Rheumatism. You are not rheumatic, I suppose?" "Not at all." "That's a great blessing. But perhaps you are nervous?" "No, I beleive not. I have no idea that I am.” "I am very nervous. To say the truth, Nerves are the worst part of my Complaints in my opinion. My Sisters think me Bilious, but I doubt it." "You are quite in the right to doubt it as long as you possibly can, I am sure." "If I were Bilious," he continued, "you know, Wine would disagree with me, but it always does me good. The more Wine I drink (in Moderation) the better I am. I am always best of an Evening. If you had seen me today before Dinner, you would have thought me a very poor Creature.” Charlotte could believe it. She kept her countenance, however, and said, "As far as l can understand what nervous complaints are, I have a great idea of the efficacy of air and exercise for them -- daily, regular Exercise -- and I should recommend rather more of it to you than I suspect you are in the habit of taking." "Oh, I am very fond of exercise myself," he replied, "and I mean to walk a great deal while I am here, if the Weather is temperate. I shall be out every morning before breakfast and take several turns upon the Terrace, and you will often see me at Trafalgar House." "But you do not call a walk to Trafalgar House much exercise?" Not as to mere distance, but the Hill is so steep! Walking up that Hill, in the middle of the day, would throw me into such a Perspiration! You would see me all in a Bath by the time I got there! l am very subject to Perspiration, and there cannot be a surer sign of Nervousness." They were now advancing so deep in Physics, that Charlotte veiwed the entrance of the Servant with the Tea things as a very fortunate Interruption. It produced a great and immediate change. The young Man's attentions were instantly lost. He took his own Cocoa from the Tray, which seemed provided with almost as many Teapots as there were persons in company, Miss P. drinking one sort of Herb-Tea and Miss Diana another, and turning completely to the Fire, sat coddling and cooking it to his own satisfaction and toasting some Slices of Bread, brought up ready-prepared in the Toast rack; and till it was all done, she heard nothing of his voice but the murmuring of a few broken sentences of self-approbation and success. When his Toils were over, however, he moved back his Chair into as gallant a Line as ever, and proved that he had not been working only for himself by his earnest invitation to her to take both Cocoa and Toast. She was already helped to Tea -- which surprised him, so totally self-engrossed had he been. "l thought I should have been in time," said he, "but cocoa takes a great deal of Boiling." "l am much obliged to you," replied Charlotte, "but I prefer Tea." "Then l will help myself," said he. "A large Dish of rather weak Cocoa every evening agrees with me better than anything." It struck her, however, as he poured out this rather weak Cocoa, that it came forth in a very fine, dark-coloured stream; and at the same moment, his Sisters both crying out, "Oh, Arthur, you get your Cocoa stronger and stronger every Evening," with Arthur's somewhat conscious reply of "Tis rather stronger than it should be tonight," convinced her that Arthur was by no means so fond of being starved as they could desire or as he felt proper himself. He was certainly very happy to turn the conversation on dry Toast and hear no more of his sisters. "l hope you will eat some of this Toast," said he. "I reckon myself a very good Toaster. I never burn my Toasts, I never put them too near the Fire at first - and yet, you see, there is not a Corner but what is well browned. l hope you like dry Toast. "With a reasonable quantity of Butter spread over it, very much," said Charlotte, "but not otherwise. "No more do I," said he, exceedingly pleased. "We think quite alike there. So far from dry Toast being wholesome, l think it a very bad thing for the Stomach. Without a little butter to soften it, it hurts the Coats of the Stomach. I am sure it does. I will have the pleasure of spreading some for you directly, and afterwards I will spread some for myself. Very bad indeed for the Coats of the Stomach -- but there is no convincing some people. It irritates and acts like a nutmeg grater." He could not get command of the Butter, however, without a struggle; his Sisters accusing him of eating a great deal too much and declaring he was not to be trusted, and he maintaining that he only ate enough to secure the Coats of his Stomach, and besides, he only wanted it now for Miss Heywood. Such a plea must prevail. He got the butter and spread away for her with an accuracy of Judgement which at least delighted himself; but when her Toast was done and he took his own in hand, Charlotte could hardly contain herself as she saw him watching his sisters while he scrupulously scraped off almost as much butter as he put on, and then seizing an odd moment for adding a great dab just before it went into his Mouth. Certainly, Mr. Arthur P.'s enjoyments in Invalidism were very different from his sisters' -- by no means so spiritualised. A good deal of Earthy Dross hung about him. Charlotte could not but suspect him of adopting that line of Life, principally for the indulgence of an indolent Temper, and to be determined on having no Disorders but such as called for warm rooms and good Nourishment. In one particular, however, she soon found that he had caught something from them. "What!" said he. "Do you venture upon two dishes of strong Green Tea in one evening? What Nerves you must have! How I envy you. Now, if I were to swallow only one such dish, what do you think its effect would be upon me?" "Keep you awake perhaps all night," replied Charlotte, meaning to overthrow his attempts at Surprise by the Grandeur of her own Conceptions. "Oh, if that were all!" he exclaimed. "No. It acts on me like Poison and would entirely take away the use of my right side before I had swallowed it five minutes. It sounds almost incredible, but it has happened to me so often that I cannot doubt it. The use of my right Side is entirely taken away for several hours !" "It sounds rather odd to be sure," answered Charlotte coolly, "but l dare say it would be proved to be the simplest thing in the World by those who have studied right sides and Green Tea scientifically and thoroughly understand all the possibilities of their action on each other." Soon after Tea, a Letter was brought to Miss D. P. from the Hotel. "From Mrs. Charles Dupuis," said she, "some private hand," and having read a few lines, exclaimed aloud, "Well, this is very extraordinary! Very extraordinary indeed! That both should have the same name. Two Mrs. Griffiths! This is a Letter of recommendation and introduction to me of the Lady from Camberwell -- and her name happens to be Griffiths too." A few more lines, however, and the colour rushed into her Cheeks and with much Perturbation, she added, "The oddest thing that ever was! a Miss Lambe too! a young Westindian of large fortune. But it cannot be the same. Impossible that it should be the same." She read the Letter aloud for comfort. It was merely to introduce the bearer, Mrs. G. from Camberwell, and the three young Ladies under her care to Miss D. P.'s notice. Mrs. G. being a stranger at Sanditon, was anxious for a respectable Introduction; and Mrs. C. Dupuis, therefore, at the instance of the intermediate friend, provided her with this Letter, knowing that she could not do her dear Diana a greater kindness than by giving her the means of being useful. "Mrs. G.'s cheif solicitude would be for the accommodation and comfort of one of the young Ladies under her care, a Miss Lambe, a young W. Indian of large Fortune, in delicate health." “It was very strange! very remarkable! very extraordinary!” but they were all agreed in determining it to be impossible that there should not be two Families; such a totally distinct set of people as were concerned in the reports of each made that matter quite certain. There must be two Families - Impossible to be otherwise. "Impossible" and "Impossible" were repeated over and over again with great fervour. An accidental resemblance of Names and circumstances, however striking at first, involved nothing really incredible; and so it was settled. Miss Diana herself derived an immediate advantage to counter balance her Perplexity. She must put her shawl over her shoulders and be running about again. Tired as she was, she must instantly repair to the Hotel to investigate the truth and offer her services.
Chapter 11
It would not do. Not all that the whole Parker race could say among themselves could produce a happier catastrophe than that the Family from Surry and the Family from Camberwell were one and the same. The rich Westindians and the young Ladies Seminary had all entered Sanditon in those two Hack chaises. The Mrs. G. who, in her friend Mrs. Darling's hands, had wavered as to coming and been unequal to the journey, was the very same Mrs. G. whose plans were at the same period (under another representation) perfectly decided, and who was without fears or difficulties. All that had the appearance of incongruity in the reports of the two might very fairly be placed to the account of the Vanity, the Ignorance or the blunders of the many engaged in the cause by the vigilance and caution of Miss Diana P. Her intimate friends must be officious like herself; and the subject had supplied Letters and Extracts and Messages enough to make everything appear what it was not. Miss D. probably felt a little awkward on being first obliged to admit her mistake. A long Journey from Hampshire taken for nothing, a Brother disappointed, an expensive House on her hands for a week must have been some of her immediate reflections; and much worse than all the rest must have been the sensation of being less clear-sighted and infallible than she had beleived herself. No part of it, however, seemed to trouble her for long. There were so many to share in the shame and the blame that probably, when she had divided out their proper portions to Mrs. Darling, Miss Capper, Fanny Noyce, Mrs, Charles Dupuis and Mrs. C. D.’s neighbour, there might be a mere trifle of reproach remaining for herself. At any rate, she was seen all the following morning walking about after Lodgings with Mrs. G. - as alert as ever. Mrs. G. was a very well-behaved, genteel kind of Woman, who supported herself by receiving such great girls and young Ladies as wanted either Masters for finishing their Education or a home for beginning their Displays. She had several more under her care than the three who were now come to Sanditon, but the others all happened to be absent. Of these three, and indeed of all, Miss Lambe was beyond comparison the most important and precious, as she paid in proportion to her fortune. She was about seventeen, half Mulatto, chilly and tender, had a maid of her own, was to have the best room in the Lodgings, and was always of the first consequence in every plan of Mrs. G. The other Girls, two Miss Beauforts, were just such young Ladies as may be met with in at least one family out of three throughout the Kingdom; they had tolerable complexions, shewey figures, an upright decided carriage and an assured Look; they were very accomplished and very Ignorant, their time being divided between such pursuits as might attract admiration, and those Labours and Expedients of dexterous Ingenuity, by which they could dress in a stile much beyond what they ought to have afforded; they were some of the first in every change of fashion. And the object of all was to captivate some Man of much better fortune than their own. Mrs. G. had preferred a small, retired place like Sanditon on Miss Lambe's account; and the Miss B.s, though naturally preferring anything to Smallness and Retirement, having in the course of the Spring been involved in the inevitable expense of six new Dresses each for a three-days visit, were constrained to be satisfied with Sanditon also till their circumstances were retrieved. There, with the hire of a Harp for one and the purchase of some Drawing paper for the other and all the finery they could already command, they meant to be very economical, very elegant and very secluded; with the hope, on Miss Beaufort's side, of praise and celebrity from all who walked within the sound of her Instrument, and on Miss Letitia's, of curiosity and rapture in all who came near her while she sketched; and to Both, the consolation of meaning to be the most stylish Girls in the Place. The particular introduction of Mrs. G. to Miss Diana Parker secured them immediately an acquaintance with the Trafalgar House family and with the Denhams; and the Miss Beauforts were soon satisfied with "the Circle in which they moved in Sanditon," to use a proper phrase, for everybody must now "move in a Circle" -- to the prevalence of which rototory Motion is perhaps to be attributed the Giddiness and false steps of many. Lady Denham had other motives for calling on Mrs. G. besides attention to the Parkers. In Miss Lambe, here was the very young Lady, sickly and rich, whom she had been asking for; and she made the acquaintance for Sir Edward's sake and the sake of her Milch asses. How it might answer with regard to the Baronet remained to be proved, but as to the Animals, she soon found that all her calculations of Profit would be vain. Mrs. G. would not allow Miss L. to have the smallest symptom of a Decline or any complaint which Asses milk could possibly releive. ‘Miss L. was under the constant care of an experienced Physician, and his Prescriptions must be their rule’ - and except in favour of some Tonic Pills, which a Cousin of her own had a Property in, Mrs. G. did never deviate from the strict Medecinal page. The corner house of the Terrace was the one in which Miss D. P. had the pleasure of settling her new friends; and considering that it commanded in front the favourite Lounge of all the Visitors at Sanditon, and on one side, whatever might be going on at the Hotel, there could not have been a more favourable spot for the seclusion of the Miss Beauforts. And accordingly, long before they had suited themselves with an Instrument or with Drawing paper, they had, by the frequency of their appearance at the low Windows upstairs, in order to close the blinds, or open the Blinds, to arrange a flower pot on the Balcony, or look at nothing through a Telescope, attracted many an eye upwards and made many a Gazer gaze again. A little Novelty has a great effect in so small a place; the Miss Beauforts, who would have been nothing at Brighton, could not move here without notice; and even Mr. Arthur Parker, though little disposed for supernumerary exertion, always quitted the Terrace in his way to his Brother's by this corner House for the sake of a glimpse of the Miss Bs -- though it was half a quarter of a mile round about and added two steps to the ascent of the Hill.
Chapter 12
Charlotte had been ten days at Sanditon without seeing Sanditon House, every attempt at calling on Lady D. having been defeated by meeting with her beforehand. But now it was to be more resolutely undertaken, at a more early hour, that nothing might be neglected of attention to Lady D. or amusement to Charlotte. "And if you should find a favourable opening, my love," said Mr. P. (who did not mean to go with them) "I think you had better mention the poor Mullins's situation and sound her Ladyship as to a Subscription for them. I am not fond of charitable subscriptions in a place of this kind -- it is a sort of tax upon all that come. Yet as their distress is very great and I almost promised the poor Woman yesterday to get something done for her, I beleive we must set a subscription on foot, and, therefore, the sooner the better; and Lady Denham's name at the head of the List will be a very necessary beginning. You will not dislike speaking to her about it, Mary?" “I will do whatever you wish me," replied his Wife, "but you would do it so much better yourself. I shall not know what to say." "My dear Mary," he cried. "It is impossible you can be really at a loss. Nothing can be more simple. You have only to state the present afflicted situation of the family, their earnest application to me, and my being willing to promote a little subscription for their releif, provided it meet with her approbation." “The easiest thing in the World," cried Miss Diana Parker, who happened to be calling on them at the moment. “All said and done in less time than you have been talking of it now. And while you are on the subject of subscriptions, Mary, I will thank you to mention a very melancholy case to Lady D. which has been represented to me in the most affecting terms. There is a poor Woman in Worcestershire, whom some friends of mine are exceedingly interested about, and I have undertaken to collect whatever I can for her. If you would mention the circumstance to Lady Denham! Lady Denham can give, if she is properly attacked. And I look upon her to be the sort of Person who, when once she is prevailed on to undraw her Purse, would as readily give ten guineas as five. And therefore, if you find her in a Giving mood, you might as well speak in favour of another charity which I and a few more have very much at heart -- the establishment of a Charitable Repository at Burton on Trent. And then there is the family of the poor Man who was hung last assizes at York, tho’ we really have raised the sum we wanted for putting them all out, yet if you can get a Guinea from her on their behalf, it may as well be done." "My dear Diana!" exclaimed Mrs. P. "I could no more mention these things to Lady D. than I could fly." "Where's the difficulty? I wish I could go with you myself. But in five minutes I must be at Mrs. G. to encourage Miss Lambe in taking her first Dip. She is so frightened, poor Thing, that I promised to come and keep up her Spirits and go in the Machine with her if she wished it. And as soon as that is over, I must hurry home, for Susan is to have Leaches at one o’clock -- which will be a three hours' business. Therefore I really have not a moment to spare - besides that (between ourselves) I ought to be in bed myself at this present time, for I am hardly able to stand; and when the Leaches have done, I dare say we shall both go to our rooms for the rest of the day." "-I am sorry to hear it, indeed, but if this is the case I hope Arthur will come to us." "-If Arthur takes my advice, he will go to bed too, for if he stays up by himself he will certainly eat and drink more than he ought - but you see, Mary, how impossible it is for me to go with you to Lady Denham's." Upon second thoughts, Mary," said her husband. "I will not trouble you to speak about the Mullin’s. I will take an opportunity of seeing Lady D. myself. I know how little it suits you to be pressing matters upon a Mind at all unwilling." His application thus withdrawn, his sister could say no more in support of hers, which was his object, as he felt all their impropriety and all the certainty of their ill effect upon his own better claim. Mrs. P. was delighted at this release and set off very happy with her friend and her little girl on this walk to Sanditon House. It was a close, misty morning and, when they reached the brow of the Hill, they could not for some time make out what sort of Carriage it was, which they saw coming up. It appeared at different moments to be everything from the Gig to the Phaeton, from one horse to four; and just as they were concluding in favour of a Tandem, little Mary's young eyes distinguished the Coachman and she eagerly called out, "’Tis Uncle Sidney, Mama, it is indeed." And so it proved. Mr. Sidney Parker, driving his Servant in a very neat Carriage, was soon opposite to them, and they all stopped for a few minutes. The manners of the Parkers were always pleasant among themselves; and it was a very friendly meeting between Sidney and his sister-in-law, who was most kindly taking it for granted that he was on his way to Trafalgar House. This he declined, however. He was "just come from Eastbourne proposing to spend two or three days, as it might happen, at Sanditon; but the Hotel must be his Quarters. He was expecting to be joined there by a friend or two.” The rest was common enquiries and remarks, with kind notice of little Mary, and a very well-bred Bow and proper address to Miss Heywood on her being named to him - and they parted, to meet again within a few hours. Sidney Parker was about seven or eight and twenty, very good-looking, with a decided air of Ease and Fashion and a lively countenance. This adventure afforded agreeable discussion for some time. Mrs. P. entered into all her Husband's joy on the occasion and exulted in the credit which Sidney's arrival would give to the place. The road to Sanditon H. was a broad, handsome, planted approach between fields, leading at the end of a quarter of a mile through second Gates into the Grounds which though not extensive had all the Beauty and Respectability which an abundance of very fine Timber could give. These Entrance Gates were so much in a corner of the Grounds or Paddock, so near to one of its Boundaries, that an outside fence was at first almost pressing on the road, till an angle here and a curve there threw them to a better distance. The Fence was a proper Park paling in excellent condition, with clusters of fine Elms or rows of old Thorns following its line almost everywhere. Almost must be stipulated, for there were vacant spaces, and through one of these, Charlotte, as soon as they entered the Enclosure, caught a glimpse over the pales of something White and Womanish in the field on the other side; it was something which immediately brought Miss B. into her head; and stepping to the pales, she saw indeed -- and very decidedly, in spite of the Mist -- Miss B. seated not far before her at the foot of the bank which sloped down from the outside of the Paling and which a narrow Path seemed to skirt along -- Miss Brereton seated, apparently very composedly, and Sir E. D. by her side. They were sitting so near each other and appeared so closely engaged in gentle conversation that Charlotte instantly felt she had nothing to do but to step back again and say not a word. Privacy was certainly their object. It could not but strike her rather unfavourably with regard to Clara; but hers was a situation which must not be judged with severity. She was glad to perceive that nothing had been discerned by Mrs. Parker. If Charlotte had not been considerably the taller of the two, Miss B.'s white ribbons might not have fallen within the ken of her more observant eyes. Among other points of moralising reflection which the sight of this Tete a Tete produced, Charlotte could not but think of the extreme difficulty which secret Lovers must have in finding a proper spot for their stolen Interviews. Here perhaps they had thought themselves so perfectly secure from observation -- the whole field open before them; a steep bank and Pales never crossed by the foot of Man at their back, and a great thickness of air to aid them as well! Yet here she had seen them. They were really ill-used. The House was large and handsome; two Servants appeared, to admit them, and everything had a suitable air of Property and Order. Lady D. valued herself upon her liberal Establishment and had great enjoyment in the order and Importance of her style of living. They were shewn into the usual sitting room, well proportioned and well furnished, tho’ it was Furniture rather originally good and extremely well kept than new or shewey - and as Lady D. was not there, Charlotte had leisure to look about her and to be told by Mrs. P. that the whole-length Portrait of a stately Gentleman which, placed over the Mantelpeice, caught the eye immediately, was the picture of Sir H. Denham; and that one among many Miniatures in another part of the room, little conspicuous, represented Mr. Hollis. Poor Mr. Hollis! It was impossible not to feel him hardly used: to be obliged to stand back in his own House and see the best place by the fire constantly occupied by Sir H. D.
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