The Duchess still perched on her critical height. Of what but one of your amazing English periodical public washings of dirty linen? Theres not the least necessity to say! she laughed. If theres anything more remarkable than these purifications its the domestic comfort with which, when all has come and gone, you sport the articles purified.
It comes back, in all that sphere, Mr. Mitchett instructively opined, to our national, our fatal want of style. We can never, dear Duchess, take too many lessons, and theres probably at the present time no more useful function to be performed among us than that dissemination of neater methods to which youre so good as to contribute.
He had had another idea, but before he reached it his companion had gaily broken in. Awfully good one for you, Duchessand Im bound to say that, for a clever woman, you exposed yourself! Ive at any rate a sense of comfort, Lord Petherton pursued, in the good relations now more and more established between poor Fanny and Mrs. Brook. Mrs. Brooks awfully kind to her and awfully sharp, and Fanny will take things from her that she wont take from me. I keep saying to Mrs. Brookdont you know?Do keep hold of her and let her have it strong. She hasnt, upon my honour, any one in the world but me.
And we know the extent of THAT resource! the Duchess freely commented.
Thats exactly what Fanny saysthat SHE knows it, Petherton good-humouredly agreed. She says my beastly hypocrisy makes her sick. There are people, he pleasantly rambled on, who are awfully free with their advice, but its mostly fearful rot. Mrs. Brooks isnt, upon my wordIve tried some myself!
You talk as if it were something nasty and homemadegooseberry wine! the Duchess laughed; but one cant know the dear soul, of course, without knowing that she has set up, for the convenience of her friends, a little office for consultations. She listens to the case, she strokes her chin and prescribes
And the beauty of it is, cried Lord Petherton, that she makes no charge whatever!
She doesnt take a guinea at the time, but you may still get your account, the Duchess returned. Of course we know that the great business she does is in husbands and wives.
This then seems the day of the wives! Mr. Mitchett interposed as he became aware, the first, of the illustration the Duchesss image was in the act of receiving. Lady Fanny Cashmore!the butler was already in the field, and the company, with the exception of Mrs. Donner, who remained seated, was apparently conscious of a vibration that brought it afresh, but still more nimbly than on Aggies advent, to its feet.
VI
Go to her straightbe nice to her: you must have plenty to say. YOU stay with mewe have our affair. The latter of these commands the Duchess addressed to Mr. Mitchett, while their companion, in obedience to the former and affected, as it seemed, by an unrepressed familiar accent that stirred a fresh flicker of Mitchys grin, met the new arrival in the middle of the room before Mrs. Brookenham had had time to reach her. The Duchess, quickly reseated, watched an instant the inexpressive concussion of the tall brother and sister; then while Mitchy again subsided into his place, Youre not, as a race, clever, youre not delicate, youre not sane, but youre capable of extraordinary good looks, she resumed. Vous avez parfois la grande beaute.