sanditon(桑底顿)-第18节
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three young Ladies under her care； to Miss D。 P。’s notice。 Mrs。
G。— being a stranger at Sanditon； was anxious for a respectable
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Introduction—and Mrs。 C。 Dupuis therefore； at the instance of the
intermediate friend； provided her with this Letter； knowing that
she could not do her dear Diana a greater kindness than by giving
her the means of being useful。—Mrs。 G。’s chief solicitude would be
for the accommodation and comfort of one of the young Ladies
under her care； a Miss Lambe； a young W。 Indian of large Fortune；
in delicate health。’—‘It was very strange！—very remarkable！—very
extraordinary’ but they were all agreed in determining it to be
impossible that there should not be two Families； such a totally
distinct set of people as were concerned in the reports of each
made that matter quite certain。 There must be two Families。—
Impossible to be otherwise。 ‘Impossible’ and ‘Impossible’； was
repeated over and over again with great fervour。—An accidental
resemblance of Names and circumstances； however striking at
first； involved nothing really incredible—and so it was settled。—
Miss Diana herself derived an immediate advantage to
counterbalance her Perplexity。 She must put her shawl over her
shoulders； and be running about again。 Tired as she was； she must
instantly repair to the Hotel； to investigate the truth and offer her
services。
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CHAPTER XI
t would not do。—Not all that the whole Parker race could say
Iamong themselves； could produce a happier catastrophée
than that the Family from Surry and the Family from
Camberwell 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；
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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 new
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Dresses each for a three days visit； were constrained to be satisfied
with Sanditon also； till their circumstances were retrieved。 There；
with the hire of a Harp for one； and the purchase of some Drawing
paper for the other and all the finery they could already command；
they meant to be very economical； very elegant and very secluded；
with the hope on Miss Beaufort’s side； of praise and celebrity from
all who walked within the sound of her Instrument； and on Miss
Letitia’s； of curiosity and rapture in all who came near her while
she sketched—and to Both； the consolation of meaning to be the
most stylish Girls in the Place。—The particular introduction of
Mrs。 G。 to Miss Diana Parker； secured them immediately an
acquaintance with the Trafalgar House…family； and with the
Denhams；—and the Miss Beauforts were soon satisfied with ‘the
Circle in which they moved in Sanditon’ to use a proper phrase；
for every body must now ‘move in a Circle’；—to the prevalence of
which rototory Motion； is perhaps to be attributed the Giddiness
and false steps of many。—Lady Denham had other motives for
calling on Mrs。 G。 besides attention to the Parkers。—In Miss
Lambe； here was the very young Lady； sickly and rich； whom she
had been asking for； and she made the acquaintance for Sir
Edward’s sake； and the sake of her Milch asses。 How it might
answer with regard to the Baronet； remained to be proved； but as
to the Animals； she soon found that all her calculations of Profit
would be vain。 Mrs。 G。 would not allow Miss L。 to have the
smallest sympton of a Decline； or any complaint which Asses milk
could possibly relieve。 ‘Miss L。 was under the constant care of an
experienced Physician；—and his Prescriptions must be their
rule’—and except in favour of some Tonic Pills； which a Cousin of
her own had a Property in； Mrs。 G。 did never deviate from the
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