第16章

It would not do.—Not all that the whole Parker race could say among themselves， could produce a happier catastrophée than that the Family from Surry and the Family fromCamberwell were one and the same.—The rich West-indians， and the young Ladies Seminary had all entered Sanditon in those two Hack chaises. The Mrs. G. who in her friend Mrs. Darling's hands， had wavered as to coming and been unequal to the Journey， was the very same Mrs. G. whose plans were at the same period (under another representation) perfectly decided， and who was without fears or difficulties.—All that had the appearance of Incongruity in the reports of the two， might very fairly be placed to the account of the Vanity， the Ignorance， or the blunders of the many engaged in the cause by the vigilance and caution of Miss Diana P.—Her intimate friends must be officious like herself， and the subject had supplied Letters and Extracts and Messages enough to make everything appear what it was not. Miss D. probably felt a little awkward on being first obliged to admit her mistake. A long Journey from Hampshire taken for nothing—a Brother disappointed—an expensive House on her hands for a week， must have been some of her immediate reflections—and much worse than all the rest， must have been the sort of sensation of being less clear-sighted and infallible than she had believed herself.—No part of it however seemed to trouble her long. There were so many to share in the shame and the blame， that probably when she had divided out their proper portions to Mrs. Darling， Miss Capper，Fanny Noyce， Mrs. Dupuis and Mrs. C.D.'s Neighbour， there might be a mere trifle of reproach remaining for herself.—At any rate， she was seen all the following morning walking about after Lodgings with Mrs. G.—as alert as ever.—Mrs. G. was a very well- behaved， genteel kind of Woman， who supported herself by receiving such great girls and young Ladies， as wanted either Masters for finishing their Education， or a home for beginning their Displays—She had several more under her care than the three who were now come to Sanditon， but the others all happened to be absent.—Of these three， and indeed of all， Miss Lambe was beyond comparison the most important and precious， as she paid in proportion to her fortune.—She was about seventeen， half Mulatto， chilly and tender， had a maid of her own， was to have the best room in the Lodgings， and was always of the first consequence in every plan of Mrs. G.—The other Girls， two Miss Beauforts were just such young Ladies as may be met with， in at least one family out of three， throughout the Kingdom； they had tolerable complexions， shewey figures， an upright decided carriage and an assured Look；—they were very accomplished and very Ignorant， their time being divided between such pursuits as might attract admiration， and those Labours and Expedients of dexterous Ingenuity， by which they could dress in a stile much beyond what they ought to have afforded； they were some of the first in every change of fashion and the object of all， was to captivate some Man of much better fortune than their own.—Mrs.G. had preferred a small， retired place， like Sanditon， on Miss Lambe's account—and the Miss B.s， though naturally preferring any thing to Smallness and Retirement， yet having in the course of the Spring been involved in the inevitable expense of six newDresses each for a three days visit， were constrained to be satisfied with Sanditon also， till their circumstances were retrieved.