And it is worst of all to go to a place where Papa and
Mamma have been before, and know all the people; we go out to tea
half the days we are there, or to dinner, or have company at home,
and I never get a quiet evening's reading with Papa, and Allan has a
very great dislike to company.'
As Lucy finished her speech they came to the Vicarage; and as they
opened the door, Meg Merrilies came purring out to meet Dora. They
looked round for Fido, in order to keep the peace between the two
enemies, but he was nowhere to be seen, and Dora remembered to have
seen him with Harriet, just as they left the rest of the party at Mr.
Turner's door; so dismissing him from their minds, they went to
finish their walk in the garden, where Helen gave Lucy a full
description of all the beauties of Dykelands, and the perfections of
its inhabitants; and finding her an attentive and obliging listener,
talked herself into a state of most uncommon good humour and
amiability for the rest of the evening. On her side, Lucy, though
she had no particular interest in the Stauntons, and indeed had never
heard their name before Helen's visit to them, was really pleased and
amused, for she had learnt to seek her pleasures in the happiness of
other people.
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