Page:Austen Sanditon and other miscellanea.djvu/89

 Rh business or their own, and was still the most alert of the three. Susan had only superintended their final removal from the Hotel, bringing two heavy Boxes herself; and Arthur had found the air so cold that he had merely walked from one House to the other as nimbly as he could, and boasted much of sitting by the fire till he had cooked up a very good one. Diana, whose exercise had been too domestic to admit of calculation, but who, by her own account, had not once sat down during the space of seven hours, confessed herself a little tired. She had been too successful however for much fatigue; for not only had she by walking and talking down a thousand difficulties at last secured a proper House at 8 gs. per week for Mrs. Griffiths; she had also opened so many Treaties with Cooks, Housemaids, Washerwomen and Bathing Women, that Mrs. Griffiths would have little more to do on her arrival, than to wave her hand and collect them around her for choice. Her concluding effort in the cause, had been a few polite lines of Information to Mrs. Griffiths herself, time not allowing for the circuitous train of intelligence which had been hitherto kept up, and she was now regaling in the delight of opening the first Trenches of an acquaintance with such a powerful discharge of unexpected Obligation. Mr. and Mrs. Parker and Charlotte had seen two Post chaises crossing the Down to the Hotel as they were setting off—a joyful sight, and full of speculation. The Miss Parkers and Arthur had also seen something: they could distinguish from their window that there was an arrival at the Hotel, but not its amount. Their Visitors answered for two Hack-Chaises. Could it be the Camberwell Seminary? No—No. Had there been a third carriage, perhaps it might; but it was very generally agreed that two Hack-Chaises could never contain a Seminary. Mr. Parker was confident of another new Family. When they were all finally seated, after some