"Don't be so
hard, Mr. Crawley,--not upon them, but upon me. May I not learn
whether they are good of their kind?"
"I am sure they are very good; but I think their mamma will prefer
their being put by for the present." This was very discouraging to
Lucy. If one small bag of gingerbread-nuts created so great a
difficulty, how was she to dispose of the pot of guava jelly and box
of bonbons, which were still in her muff; or how distribute the
packet of oranges with which the pony carriage was laden? And there
was jelly for the sick child, and chicken broth, which was, indeed,
another jelly; and, to tell the truth openly, there was also a joint
of fresh pork and a basket of eggs from the Framley parsonage
farmyard, which Mrs. Robarts was to introduce, should she find
herself capable of doing so; but which would certainly be cast out
with utter scorn by Mr. Crawley, if tendered in his immediate
presence. There had also been a suggestion as to adding two or three
bottles of port: but the courage of the ladies had failed them on
that head, and the wine was not now added to their difficulties. Lucy
found it very difficult to keep up a conversation with Mr.
Crawley--the more so, as Mrs. Robarts and Mrs. Crawley presently
withdrew into a bedroom, taking the two younger children with them.
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