|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Book, page 262 / 433 "Never was further from being satisfied in my life," said Lady Frances. "If you look at this, my lady," said the constable, holding out the lace, "you'll soon be satisfied as to what sort of a young lady _that_ is." "Oh, you mistake the young lady," said Mrs. Bertrand, and she whispered to the constable. "Come away: you may be sure you'll be satisfied--we shall all be satisfied, handsomely, all in good time. Don't let the _delinquency_ there on her knees," added she aloud, pointing to Betty Williams--"don't let the _delinquency_ there on her knees escape." "Come along, mistress," said the constable, pulling up Betty Williams from her knees. "But I say the law must have its course, if I am not satisfied." "Oh, I am confident," said Mrs. Puffit, the milliner, "we shall all be satisfied, no doubt; but Lady Di. Chillingworth knows my Valenciennes lace, and Miss Burrage too, for they did me this morning the honour--" "Will you do me the favour," interrupted Lady Frances Somerset, "to leave us, good Mrs. Puffit, for the present? Here is some mistake--the less noise we make about it the better. You shall be satisfied." "Oh, your ladyship--I'm sure, I'm confident--I shan't utter another syllable--nor never would have articulated a syllable about the lace (though Valenciennes, and worth thirty guineas, if it is worth a farthing), had I had the least intimacy or suspicion the young lady was your la'ship's protegee. I shan't, at any rate, utter another syllable." Mrs. Puffit, having glibly run off this speech, left the room, and carried in her train the constable and Betty Williams, the printer's devil, and Mrs. Bertrand, the woman of the house. Miss Warwick, whose confusion during this whole scene was excessive, stood without power to speak or move. "Thank God, they are gone!" said Lady Frances; and she went to Angelina, and taking her hands gently from before her face, said, in a soothing tone, "Miss Warwick, your friend, Lady Frances Somerset, you cannot think
|
Knowledgerush Search
|
|
Contact Us
| Privacy Statement & Terms of Use
|