The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 2 of 5)Burney, Fanny
History
The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 2 of 5)
Burney, Fanny
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Refugees -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Refugees -- Fiction; War stories
Selina, now, ran to shake hands with her dear Ellis, expressing the
warmest pleasure at her sight. Ellis as much, though not as disagreeably
surprised by her notice now, as she had been by the more than neglect
which had preceded it, was hesitating what judgment to form of either,
when Miss Sycamore, from some distance, scornfully called out to her,
'Don't fail to stop at our house on your way back to your lodgings, Miss
Ellis, to look at my harp. I believe it's out of order.'
Lady Kendover, whose invariable politeness made her peculiarly sensible
of any failure of that quality in another, perceiving Ellis extremely
disconcerted, by the pointed malice of this humiliating command, at the
moment that she was bearing her part in superiour society, redoubled her
own civilities, by attentions as marked and public as they were
obliging; and, pleased by the modest gratitude with which they were
received, had again restored the serenity of Ellis; when a conversation,
unavoidably overheard, produced new disturbance.
Mr Riley, who had just recognized Ireton and Mrs Maple, was loud in his
satisfaction at again seeing two of his fellow-voyagers; and, in his
usually unceremonious manner, began discoursing upon their late dangers
and escape; notwithstanding all the efforts of Mrs Maple, who knew
nothing of his birth, situation in life, or fortune, to keep him at a
distance.
'And pray,' cried her, 'how does Miss Nelly do? She is a prodigious
clever girl; she is faith! I took to her mightily; though I did not much
like that twist she had got to the wrong side of my politics. I longed
prodigiously to give her a twitch back to the right. But how could you
think Ma'am, of taking over such a brisk, warm, young girl as that, at
the very instant when the new-fangled doctrines were beginning to
ferment in every corner of France? boiling over in one half of their
pates, to scald t'other half.'
Mrs Maple, however unwilling to hold a public conference with a person
of whom she had never seen the pedigree, nor the rent-roll, could still
less endure to let even a shadow of blame against herself pass
unanswered: she therefore angrily said, that she had travelled for
health, and not to trouble herself about politics.
'O, as to you, Ma'am, it's all one, at your years: but how you could
fancy a skittish young girl, like that, could be put into such a hot bed
of wild plants, and not shoot forth a few twigs herself, I can't make
out. You might as well send her to a dance, and tell her not to wag a
foot. And pray what's become of Mr Harleigh? I've no where seen his
fellow. He was the most of a manly gentleman that ever fell in my walk.
And your poor ailing mama, Squire Ireton? Has she got the better of her
squeamish fits? She was deuced bad aboard; and not much better ashore.
And that Demoiselle, the black-skinned girl, with the fine eyes and
nose? Where's she, too? Have you ever heard what became of her?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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