She
tottered a step or two forwards to meet him; held both her hands out, and
called his name; but he looked her sternly in the face, took off his hat
and bowed, and passed on. He did not think fit to mention the meeting
even to his son, Clive; but we may be sure Mr. Harris, the surgeon, spoke
of the circumstance that night after the lecture, at the club, where a
crowd of gentlemen were gathered together, smoking their cigars, and
enjoying themselves according to their custom, and discussing Sir Barnes
Newcome's performance.
According to established usage in such cases, our esteemed representative
was received by the committee of the Newcome Athenaeum, assembled in
their committee-room, and thence marshalled by the chairman and
vice-chairman to his rostrum in the lecture-hall, round about which the
magnates of the institution and the notabilities of the town were rallied
on this public occasion. The Baronet came in some state from his own
house, arriving at Newcome in his carriage with four horses, accompanied
by my lady his mother, and Miss Ethel his beautiful sister, who now was
mistress at the Hall.
Pages:
1570
1571
1572
1573
1574
1575
1576
1577
1578
1579
1580
1581
1582
1583
1584
1585
1586
1587
1588
1589
1590
1591
1592
1593
1594