rson,butdullandthatMissLeycouldnotforgive.Bettertenthousandtimes,inheropinion,wasittobeBeckySharpandamonsterofwickednessthanAmeliaandamonsterofstupidity.
“Pardonme,Madam,itiswellknownthatThackeray,inAmelia,gaveusatypeofthepure-hearted,sweet-mindedEnglishmaiden,whosequalitiesarethefoundationofthegreatnessofGreatBritain,andthesuperiorityoftheAnglo-Saxonrace.”
“Ihavenodoubtthatsuchwashisintention.Butwhydoyouthinknovelists,whentheydrawtheaverageEnglishgirl,shouldinvariablyproduceanutterfool?”
“Madam,Madam,thisisheresy.”
“No,sir,itismerelyaquestion—promptedbyadesireforinformation.”
“Itmustbetheirwantofskill.”
“Ihopeso.”
MissGloverwasoneofthebestnaturedandmostcharitablecreaturesuponthefaceoftheearth,amiracleofabnegationandunselfishnessbutapersontobeamusedbyhercouldhavebeenonlyanabsolutelunatic.
“She’sreallyadearkindthing,”saidMissLeyofher,“andshedoesendlessgoodintheparish—butshe’sreallytoodull:she’sonlyfitforheaven!”
AndtheimagepassedthroughMissLey’smind,unsoberedbyadvancingyears,ofMissGlover,withhercolourlesshairhangingdownherback,wings,andagoldenharp,singinghymnsinasqueakyvoice,morning,noon,andnight.Indeed,thegeneralconceptionofparadisaicalcostumesuitedMissGloververyill.Shewasawomanofabouteightandtwenty,butmighthavebeenanyagebetweenonescoreandtwoyoufeltthatshehadalwaysbeenthesameandthatyearswouldhavenopoweroverherstrengthofmind.Shehadnofigure,andherclothesweresostiffandunyieldingastogiveanimpressionofarmour.Shewasnearlyalwaysdressedinatightblackjacketofribbedcloththatwasevidentlymostdurable,theplainestofskirts,andstrong,reallystrongboots!Herhatwassuitedforallweathersandshehadmadeitherself!Sheneverworeaveil,andherskinwasdryandhard,drawnsotightlyoverthebonesastogiveherfaceextraordinaryangularityoverherprominentcheek-boneswasaredflush,thecolourofwhichwasnotuniformlysuffused,butwiththecapillariesstandingoutdistinctly,forminganetwork.Hernose