'snarrative.
, andthat, thoughnon-committalbynatureandtraining, -walledMadisonAvenuedrawingroom, withthepalebrocadedarmchairssoobviouslyuncoveredfortheoccasion, andthegauzestillveilingtheormolumantelornamentsandthebeautifuloldcarvedframeofGainsborough's "LadyAngelicaduLac."
'sportraitbyHuntington (inblackvelvetandVenetianpoint) "asfineasaCabanel," and, thoughtwentyyearshadelapsedsinceitsexecution, wasstill "aperfectlikeness." —orrather (sincesheneverdinedout) , whichhadfadedwithoutturninggrey, wasstillpartedinflatoverlappingpointsonherforehead, , indeed, struckNewlandArcherashavingbeenrathergruesomelypreservedintheairlessatmosphereofaperfectlyirreproachableexistence, , ; buthefoundhergentlebendingsweetnesslessapproachablethanthegrimnessofsomeofhismother'soldaunts, fiercespinsterswhosaid "No" onprinciplebeforetheyknewwhattheyweregoingtobeasked.
'sattitudesaidneitheryesnorno, butalwaysappearedtoinclinetoclemencytillherthinlips, waveringintotheshadowofasmile, madethealmostinvariablereply: "Ishallfirsthavetotalkthisoverwithmyhusband."
, afterfortyyearsoftheclosestconjugality, , , havingsetforththeircase, waitedresignedlyforthefamiliarphrase.
, however, whohadseldomsurprisedanyone, nowsurprisedthembyreachingherlonghandtowardthebell-rope.
"Ithink," shesaid, "IshouldlikeHenrytohearwhatyouhavetoldme."
Afootmanappeared, towhomshegravelyadded: ", pleaseaskhimtobekindenoughtocome."
