Page:Austen - Mansfield Park, vol. I, 1814.djvu/259



T Honourable John Yates, this new friend, had not much to recommend him beyond habits of fashion and expense, and being the younger son of a Lord with a tolerable independance; and Sir Thomas would probably have thought his introduction at Mansfield by no means desirable. Mr. Bertram's acquaintance with him had begun at Weymouth, where they had spent ten days together in the same society, and the friendship, if friendship it might be called, had been proved and perfected by Mr. Yates's being invited to take Mansfield in his way, whenever he could, and by his promising to come; and he did come rather earlier than had been expected, in consequence of the sudden breaking-up of a large party assembled for gaiety at the house of another friend, which he had left Weymouth to join. He came on the wings of ment,