第17章

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 Preions 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 thestrict Medecinal page.—The corner house of the Terrace was the one in which Miss D.P. had the pleasure of settling her new friends, and considering that it commanded in front the favourite Lounge of all the Visitors at Sanditon, and on one side, whatever might be going on at the Hotel, there could not have been a more favourable spot for the seclusions of the Miss Beauforts. And accordingly, long before they had suited themselves with an Instrument, or with Drawing paper, they had, by the frequency of their appearance at the low Windows upstairs, in order to close the blinds, or open the Blinds, to arrange a flower pot on the Balcony, or look at nothing through a Telescope, attracted many an eye upwards, and made many a Gazer gaze again.—A little Novelty has a great effect in so small a place; the Miss Beauforts, who would have been nothing at Brighton, could not move here without notice;—and even Mr. Arthur Parker, though little disposed for supernumerary exertion, always quitted the Terrace, in his way to his Brothers by this corner House, for the sake of a glimpse of the Miss Bs, though it was half a quarter of a mile round about, and added two steps to the ascent of the Hill.Charlotte had been ten days at Sanditon without seeing Sanditon House, every attempt at calling on Lady D. having been defeated by meeting with her beforehand.