Pagina 334 de 817

"Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel.

Lady Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us

which becomes herself and daughter. I would advise you merely to

put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest--there is

no occasion for anything more. Lady Catherine will not think the

worse of you for being simply dressed. She likes to have the

distinction of rank preserved."

While they were dressing, he came two or three times to their

different doors, to recommend their being quick, as Lady

Catherine very much objected to be kept waiting for her dinner.

Such formidable accounts of her Ladyship, and her manner of

living, quite frightened Maria Lucas, who had been little used to

company; and she looked forward to her introduction at Rosings

with as much apprehension as her father had done to his

presentation at St. James's.