'
Charlotte's feelings were divided between amusement and indignation. She
kept her countenance, and kept a civil silence; but without attempting to
listen any longer, and only conscious that Lady Denham was still talking
in the same way, allowed her own thoughts to form themselves into such
meditation as this:--'She is thoroughly mean; I had no expectation of
anything so bad. Mr. Parker spoke too mildly of her. He is too kind-
hearted to see clearly, and their very connection misleads him. He has
persuaded her to engage in the same speculation, and because they have so
far the same object in view, he fancies that she feels like him in other
things; but she is very, very mean. I can see no good in her. Poor Miss
Brereton! And it makes everybody mean about her. This poor Sir Edward
and his sister! how far nature meant them to be respectable I cannot
tell; but they are obliged to be mean in their servility to her; and I am
mean, too, in giving her my attention with the appearance of coinciding
with her. Thus it is when rich people are sordid.'
Mr. Parker has two unmarried sisters of singular character.
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