Page:Austen Sanditon and other miscellanea.djvu/40

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16

SANDITON

any Verses you like to it. But I want to see something applied to your Leg, and I am sure by your Lady’s countenance that she is quite of my opinion and thinks it a pity to lose any more time. And here come my Girls to speak for themselves and their Mother’ (two or three genteel looking young Women, followed by as many Maid servants, were now seen issuing from the House). ‘I began to wonder the Bustle should not have reached them. A thing of this kind soon makes a Stir in a lonely place like ours. Now, Sir, let us see how you can be best conveyed into the House.’ The young Ladies approached and said everything that was proper to recommend their Father’s offers; and in an unaffected manner calculated to make the Strangers easy, and as Mrs. Parker was exceedingly anxious for relief; and her Husband by this time not much less disposed for it, a very few civil scruples were enough, especially as the Carriage being now set up, was discovered to have received such Injury on the fallen side as to be unfit for present use. Mr. Parker was therefore carried into the House, and his Carriage wheeled off to a vacant Barn.

CHAPTER II

The acquaintance, thus oddly begun, was neither short nor unimportant. For a whole fortnight the Travellers were fixed at Willingden; Mr. Parker's sprain proving too serious for him to move sooner. He had fallen into very good hands. The Heywoods were a thoroughly respectable family, and every possible attention was paid in the kindest and most unpretending manner, to both Husband and wife. He was waited on and nursed, and she cheered and comforted with unremitting kindness, and as every office of Hospitality and