tIcouldnevermarryamanwithanoselikethat,"saidClara.
"Nonsense,"saidMrs.Durrant.
"ButIamtoosevere,"shethoughttoherself.ForClara,losingallvivacity,toreupherdanceprogrammeandthrewitinthefender.
Suchweretheveryseriousconsequencesoftheinventionofpaperflowerstoswiminbowls.
"Please,"saidJuliaEliot,takingupherpositionbythecurtainalmostoppositethedoor,"don'tintroduceme.Iliketolookon.Theamusingthing,"shewenton,addressingMr.Salvin,who,owingtohislameness,wasaccommodatedwithachair,"theamusingthingaboutapartyistowatchthepeople—comingandgoing,comingandgoing."
"Lasttimewemet,"saidMr.Salvin,"wasattheFarquhars.Poorlady!Shehasmuchtoputupwith."
"Doesn'tshelookcharming?"exclaimedMissEliot,asClaraDurrantpassedthem.
"Andwhichofthem…?"askedMr.Salvin,droppinghisvoiceandspeakinginquizzicaltones.
"Therearesomany…"MissEliotreplied.Threeyoungmenstoodatthedoorwaylookingaboutfortheirhostess.
"Youdon'trememberElizabethasIdo,"saidMr.Salvin,"dancingHighlandreelsatBanchorie.Claralackshermother'sspirit.Claraisalittlepale."
"Whatdifferentpeopleoneseeshere!"saidMissEliot.
"Happilywearenotgovernedbytheeveningpapers,"saidMr.Salvin.
"Ineverreadthem,"saidMissEliot."Iknownothingaboutpolitics,"sheadded.
"Thepianoisintune,"saidClara,passingthem,"butwemayhavetoasksomeonetomoveitforus."
"Aretheygoingtodance?"askedMr.Salvin.
"Nobodyshalldisturbyou,"saidMrs.Durrantperemptorilyasshepassed.
"JuliaEliot.ItISJuliaEliot!"saidoldLadyHibbert,holdingoutbothherhands."AndMr.Salvin.Whatisgoingtohappentous,Mr.Salvin?WithallmyexperienceofEnglishpolitics—Mydear,Iwasthinkingofyourfatherlastnight—oneofmyoldestfriends,Mr.Salvin.Nevertellmethatgirlsoftenareincapableoflove!IhadallShakespearebyheartbeforeIwasinmyteens,Mr.Salvin!"
"Youdon'tsayso,"saidMr.Salvin.
"ButIdo,"saidLadyHibbert.
"Oh,Mr.Salvin,I'msosorry…."
"Iwillremovemy