Verner positively
made the lack into a sort of reproach, a continual cause for
querulousness.
She had filled Verner's Pride with guests after their marriage--as she
had coveted to do. From that period until early spring she had kept it
filled, one succession of guests, one relay of visitors arriving after
the other. Pretty, capricious, fascinating, youthful, Mrs. Verner was of
excessive popularity in the country, and a sojourn at Verner's Pride
grew to be eagerly sought. The women liked the attractive master; the
men bowed to the attractive mistress; and Verner's Pride was never free.
On the contrary, it was generally unpleasantly crammed; and Mrs. Tynn,
who was a staid, old-fashioned housekeeper, accustomed to nothing beyond
the regular, quiet household maintained by the late Mr. Verner, was
driven to the verge of desperation.
"It would be far pleasanter if we had only half the number of guests,"
Lionel had said to his wife in the winter. He no longer remonstrated
against _any_: he had given that up as hopeless. "Pleasanter for them,
pleasanter for us, pleasanter for the servants.
Pages:
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618