The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 5 of 5)Burney, Fanny
History
The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 5 of 5)
Burney, Fanny
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Refugees -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Refugees -- Fiction; War stories
Juliet, then, had the unspeakable delight of presenting her brother and
her sister to her uncle, and to the Bishop. The Admiral, nevertheless,
could not resist taking his niece apart, to tell her, that, if he had
but had an insight into her being in such a hurry for a husband, he
should have made free to speak a good word for a young sea-captain of
his acquaintance; a lad for whom he had a great goust, and who would be
sure to make his way to the very top; since, already, he had had the
luck, while bravely fighting, in two different engagements, to see his
two senior officers drop by his side: by which means he had arrived at
his promotion of first lieutenant, and of captain. And if, which was
likely enough, God willing, he should meet with such another good turn
in a third future engagement, he bid fair for being a Commodore in the
prime of his days. 'And then, my dear,' he continued, 'when he had been
upon a long distant station; or when contrary winds, or the enemy, had
stopt his letters, so that you could not guess whether the poor lad were
alive or dead; think what would have been your pride to have read, all
o' the sudden, news of him in the Gazette!'
This regret, nevertheless, operated not against his affection, nor his
beneficence, for, returning with her to the company, he solemnly
announced her to be his heiress.
'One thing, however, pertaining to this business,' he cried, 'devilishly
works me still, whether I will or no'. That oldish gentlewoman, who was
taking upon her to send my Niece Granville before the justice! Who is
she, pray? I should not be sorry to know her calling; nor, moreover,
what 'tis puts her upon acting in such a sort.'
Lord Melbury and Lady Aurora endeavoured to offer some excuse, saying,
that she was a relation of their uncle Denmeath.
'Oh, if that be the case,' cried he, holding his head high up in the
air, 'I shall make no scruple to let her a little into my way of
thinking! It's a general rule with me, throughout life, to tell people
their faults; because why? There are plenty of people to tell them their
good qualities; in the proviso they have got any; or, in the t'other
case, to vamp up some, out of their own heads, that serve just as well
for ground-work to a few compliments; but as to their faults, not a soul
will give 'em a hint of one of them. They'll leave them to be 'ticed
strait to the devil, sooner than call out Jack Robinson! to save them.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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