Miss Glanville informed them, that she was her cousin, and daughter to the deceased Marquis of ——; adding with a sneer, that she had been brought up in the country; knew nothing of the world; and had some very peculiar notions. As you may see, said she, by that odd kind of covering she wears.
Her name and quality were presently whispered all over the room. The men, hearing she was a great heiress, found greater beauties to admire in her person: the ladies, awed by the sanction of quality, dropped their ridicule on her dress, and began to quote examples of whims full as inexcusable.
One remembered that Lady J—— F—— always wore her ruffles reversed; that the Countess of —— went to court in a farthingale; that the Duchess of —— sat astride upon a horse; and a certain lady of great fortune, and nearly allied to quality, because she was not dignified with a title, invented a new one for herself; and directed her servants to say in speaking to her, Your honoress, which afterwards became a custom among all her acquaintance; who mortally offended her if they omitted that instance of respect.
[Chapter V.]
Containing some historical anecdotes, the truth of which may possibly be doubted, as they are not to be found in any of the historians.
After a short stay in the room, Arabella expressing a desire to return home, Mr. Glanville conducted her out. Two gentlemen of his acquaintance attending Miss Glanville, Sir Charles detained them to breakfast; by which means they had an opportunity of satisfying their curiosity; and beheld Arabella divested of that veil, which had, as they said (and it is probable they said no more than they thought) concealed one of the finest faces in the world.
Miss Glanville had the mortification to see both the gentlemen so charmed with the sight of her cousin's face, that for a long time she sat wholly neglected; but the seriousness of her behaviour giving some little disgust to the youngest of them, who was what the ladies call a pretty fellow, a dear creature, and the most diverting man in the world; he applied himself wholly to Miss Glanville, and soon engaged her in a particular conversation.
Mr. Selvin, so was the other gentleman called, was of a much graver cast: he affected to be thought deep-read in history, and never failed to take all opportunities of displaying his knowledge of antiquity, which was indeed but very superficial; but having some few anecdotes by heart, which he would take occasion to introduce as often as he could, he passed among many persons for one who, by application and study, had acquired an universal knowledge of ancient history.