Page:Austen Sanditon and other miscellanea.djvu/61

 Rh, but less numerous than he had hoped. It was but July, however, and August and September were the Months; And besides, the promised large Families from Surrey and Camberwell were an ever-ready consolation. Mrs. Whitby came forward without delay from her Literary recess, delighted to see Mr. Parker again, whose manners recommended him to every body, and they were fully occupied in their various Civilities and Communications, while Charlotte having added her name to the List as the first offering to the success of the Season, was busy in some immediate purchases for the further good of Every body, as soon as Miss Whitby could be hurried down from her Toilette, with all her glossy curls and smart Trinkets to wait on her. The Library, of course, afforded every thing; all the useless things in the World that could not be done without, and among so many pretty Temptations, and with so much good will for Mr. Parker to encourage Expenditure, Charlotte began to feel that she must check herself, or rather she reflected that at two and Twenty there could be no excuse for her doing otherwise—and that it would not do for her to be spending all her Money the very first Evening. She took up a Book; it happened to be a volume of Camilla. She had not Camilla’s Youth, and had no intention of having her Distress, so she turned from the Drawers of rings and Brooches, repressed farther solicitation and paid for what she bought. For her particular gratification, they were then to take a Turn on the Cliff, but as they quitted the Library they were met by two Ladies whose arrival made an alteration necessary, Lady Denham and Miss Brereton. They had been to Trafalgar House, and been directed thence to the Library, and though Lady Denham was a great deal too active to regard the walk of a mile as any thing requiring rest, and talked of going home again directly, the Parkers knew that to be pressed into their House, and obliged to take her Tea