Volume I Part 28 (1/2)
”There are a few families you know, Harry, who never give those kind of parties,” observed Mrs. Stanley.
Hazlehurst's conscience felt a twinge, for he knew she was thinking of Elinor, whom Miss Wyllys had never allowed to give these UNMARRIED parties; though she went to other houses, when asked.
”Miss Taylor had collected a tribe of Europeans of all sorts, last night; half-a-dozen Englishmen, and a vulgar Frenchman,”
observed Harry, by way of changing the conversation. ”I was surprised when my friend Townsend told me he was invited; he did not know the Taylors, and only arrived a week since.”
”Adeline invited him on purpose; Miss Lawrence is very fond of foreigners, and you know Mr. Taylor calls on all the strangers who arrive,” said Jane.
Harry's lip curled a little.
”How disagreeable that Captain k.o.c.kney is,” continued Jane.
”More than disagreeable,” replied Harry. ”I should not have used so soft a word. I was not a little amused, by-the-bye, to see how the fellow cooled off when Townsend and Ellery came in. Your low set of English have such a thorough awe of those a few degrees above them.”
”That Mr. k.o.c.kney is so very forward and vulgar,” said Mrs.
Graham, ”that I wonder anybody can endure him. I was disgusted with his manner on board the steamboat from Longbridge, the other day.”
”He is beneath notice,” said Harry.
”I am not sure, either, that I like your friend, Mr. Ellery, Harry.”
”Ellery is no friend of mine; but, pray, don't name him in the same breath with that k.o.c.kney.”
”Oh, no, Mr. Ellery is a gentleman, evidently; but I don't like his manners, there is something affected about him.”
”Certainly, he knows how to play the c.o.xcomb, and condescends to do so quite too often. But I hope you like Townsend; he is really a fine fellow.”
”Mr. Townsend has very different manners.”
”Yes, he has the best English manner; quite natural, and not afraid to be civil. It is only the best of the English who are quite free from nonsense. Ellery aims at effect, half the time; Townsend has too much sense to do so.”
”Well, I really wonder,” said Jane, ”how Mrs. Hilson can endure that Captain k.o.c.kney.”
”The silly little soul knows no better.”
”To be sure, she is quite as ridiculous as he is.”
”She is really very silly,” said Mrs. Stanley. ”It is a pity that good, worthy Mr. Hubbard should have daughters so little like himself, and so much like their mother.”
”She is very pretty, though, and dresses very well,” said Jane.
”Would you believe it, mamma, the other day, when she called at Adeline's she wore a collar precisely like the prettiest of those I brought from Paris.”
”Does she visit a great deal at Mrs. Taylor's?” inquired her mother.
”Oh, no; Adeline can't endure her. But she cannot get rid of her entirely, because they meet in the country. Adeline would like to drop the acquaintance altogether, but she says Mrs. Hilson won't let her, because Mrs. Taylor's is the only fas.h.i.+onable house where she visits.”
”These Taylors have really done wonders in the last few years,”
said Mrs. Stanley, smiling.