"What impertinence! Well, Lady Arden will be here this season to a certainty. She is to come direct from London; and I'll take care they shall not be introduced to her. Was there ever such ingratitude! People that had not a creature to speak to, till I introduced them to every one they know. I even made so particular a request of my friends that they would call on them, that I quite laid myself under obligations to people. They could find out my lodgings fast enough, when they were coming to my little sociable parties five nights out of the seven; declaring they did not know what was to become of them, were it not for my kindness; and that the more they saw how differently others behaved to them, the more were they obliged to me; and then making such a vulgar noise about the number of invitations they were in my debt and their grief at not having it in their power as yet to make any return." "Then I can tell you ma'am," said Sarah, "they are to have a grand party this very night at the rooms, and never had the manners to ask you." "I know their cards have been out for some time. And who are they to have, did you hear?" "Oh, titles without end, they say; and generals and baronets, and all sorts of fine people. Mrs. Johnson _sais_, as the young ladies should say, they were determined as their party should _exist_ entirely of _excuses_." "Exclusives you mean, I suppose; but did you hear any of the names?" "Why yes ma'am; they are to have Sir Matthias and Lady Whaleworthy." "Sir Matthias indeed!" repeated Mrs. Dorothea, "an alderman cheesemonger, knighted only the other day; and as for his poor goodnatured, vulgar wife, she has been fattened on whey, I suppose, till no reasonable door can admit her." "Well to be sure!" exclaimed the abigail, "and then they are to have Sir Henry and Lady Shawbridge." "Sir Henry, poor man," said Mrs. Dorothea, "was only knighted by mistake. I don't know what he was himself, but they say he had just married his cook-maid; and her ladyship certainly has all the fiery-faced fierceness of that order about her." "A cook-maid, ma'am! why I am a step above that myself. And let me see, who else--oh, there's to be Lady Flamborough." "She is a woman of rank certainly, or rather the widow of a man of rank; for she is of very low birth herself; and what is much worse, she is a woman of bad character, which of course prevents her being visited, so that she is glad to go any where. And who else pray?" "Sir William Orm, that Mrs. Johnson _sais_ is such a fine gentleman." "Sir William Orm," repeated Mrs. Dorothea, "he is a known black-leg; a man shut out from all good society; he may do very well for the Salters, however, if he can endure their vulgarity." "There is another title," said Sarah, "let me see--Sir--Sir--Sir Francis Beerton, or Brierton, I think."