[The Short Works of George Meredith by George Meredith]@TWC D-Link book
The Short Works of George Meredith

CHAPTER II
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His not seeing it showed the state he was in.

The sister of Mrs.
Pollington, an amiable widow, relict of a large City warehouse, named Barcop, was chilled by a falling off in his attentions.

His apology for not appearing at garden parties was, that he was engaged to wait on Lady Camper.
And at one time, her not condescending to exchange visits with the obsequious General was a topic fertile in irony.

But she did condescend.
Lady Camper came to his gate unexpectedly, rang the bell, and was let in like an ordinary visitor.

It happened that the General was gardening--not the pretty occupation of pruning--he was digging--and of necessity his coat was off, and he was hot, dusty, unpresentable.
From adoring earth as the mother of roses, you may pass into a lady's presence without purification; you cannot (or so the General thought) when you are caught in the act of adoring the mother of cabbages.


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