I had a father, and he was all-sufficient--anything beyond him in the ancestral line would have been a burden laid upon me greater than I could bear, as the poet says.' Dinner was announced, and Mary came shyly out of her corner, blushing deeply.
'And this is Lady Mary, I suppose ?' said Lady Kirkbank, in an off-hand way, 'How do you do, my dear?
I am going to steal your sister.' 'I am very glad,' faltered Mary.

'I mean I am glad that Lesbia should enjoy herself.' 'And some fine day, when Lesbia is married and a great lady, I shall ask you to come to Scotland,' said Lady Kirkbank, condescendingly, and than she murmured in her friend's ear, as they went to the dining-room, 'Quite an English girl.

Very fresh and frank and nice,' which was great praise for such a second-rate young person as Lady Mary.
'What do you think of Lesbia ?' asked Lady Maulevrier, in the same undertone.
'She is simply adorable.

Your letters prepared me to expect beauty, but not such beauty.

My dear, I thought the progress of the human race was all in a downward line since our time; but your granddaughter is as handsome as you were in your first season, and that is going very far.'.