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The Absentee by Maria Edgeworth
Book, page 70 / 300


Lord Colambre might urge in favour of returning to her home. But
Miss Nugent hoped in vain. Lady Clonbrony never in her life
generalised any observations, or drew any but a partial
conclusion from the most striking facts.

'Lord! my dear Grace!' said she, as soon as they were seated in
their carriage, 'what a scrape I got into to-night at supper, and
what disgrace I came to!--and all this because I did not know
Lady Oranmore. Now you see the inconceivable disadvantage of not
knowing everybody--everybody of a certain rank, of course, I
mean.'

Miss Nugent endeavoured to slide in her own moral on the
occasion, but it would not do.

'Yes, my dear, Lady Oranmore may talk in that kind of style of
Ireland, because, on the other hand, she is so highly connected
in England; and, besides, she is an old lady, and may take
liberties; in short, she is Lady Oranmore, and that's enough.'

The next morning, when they all met at breakfast, Lady Clonbrony
complained bitterly of her increased rheumatism, of the
disagreeable, stupid party they had had the preceding night, and
of the necessity of going to another formal party that night, the
next, and the next, and, in the true fine lady style, deplored
her situation, and the impossibility of avoiding those things,

   Which felt they curse, yet covet still to feel.

Miss Nugent determined to retire as soon as she could from the
breakfast-room, to leave Lord Colambre an opportunity of talking
over his family affairs at full liberty. She knew by the
seriousness of his countenance that his mind was intent upon
doing so, and she hoped that his influence with his father and
mother would not be exerted in vain. But just as she was rising
from the breakfast-table, in came Sir Terence O'Fay, and, seating
himself quite at his ease, in spite of Lady Clonbrony's repulsive
looks, his awe of Lord Colambre having now worn off--

'I'm tired,' said he, 'and have a right to be tired; for it's no

 
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