CHAPTER 9.

One day, soon after Charlotte’s arrival at Sanditon, she had the pleasure of seeing just as she ascended from the Sands to the Terrace, a Gentleman’s Carriage with Post Horses standing at the door of the Hotel, as very lately arrived, & by the quantity of Luggage taking off, bringing it might be hoped, some respectable family determined on a long residence.--Delighted to have such good news for M^r & M^{rs} P., who had both gone home some time before, she proceeded for Trafalgar House with as much alacrity as could remain, after having been contending for the last 2 hours with a very fine wind blowing

( 114 )

directly on shore; but she had not reached the little Lawn, when she saw a Lady walking nimbly behind her at no great distance; and convinced that it could be no acquaintance of her own, she resolved to hurry on & get into the House if possible before her. But the Stranger’s pace did not allow this to be accomplished;--Charlotte was on the steps & had rung, but the door was not opened, when the other crossed the Lawn;--and when the Servant appeared, they were just equally ready for entering the House. --The ease of the Lady, her “How do you do Morgan?--” & Morgan’s Looks on seeing her, were a moment’s astonishment --but another moment brought M^r P. into the Hall to welcome the Sister he had seen from the Draw^g room, and she was soon introduced to Miss Diana Parker. There was a great

( 115 )

deal of surprise but still more pleasure in seeing her.--Nothing c^d be kinder than her reception from both Husband and Wife. “How did she come? & with whom?--And they were so glad to find her equal to the Journey!--And that she was to belong to _them_, was a thing of course.” Miss Diana P. was about 4 & 30, of middling height & slender;-- delicate looking rather than sickly; with an agreable face, & a very animated eye;--her manners resembling her Brother’s in their ease & frankness, though with more decision & less mildness in her Tone. She began an account of herself without delay.--Thanking them for their Invitation, but “_that_ was quite out of the question, for they were all three come, & meant to get into Lodgings & make some stay.”-- “All three come!--What!--Susan & Arthur!--Susan able to come too!--

( 116 )

This was better & better.” “Yes-- we are actually all come. Quite unavoidable. --Nothing else to be done. --You shall hear all about it.--But my dear Mary, send for the Children;-- I long to see them.”--“And how has Susan born the Journey?--& how is Arthur?--& why do not we see him here with you?”--“Susan has born it wonderfully. She had not a wink of sleep either the night before we set out, or last night at Chichester, and as this is not so common with her as with _me_, I have had a thousand fears for her--but she has kept up wonderfully. --had no Hysterics of consequence till we came within sight of poor old Sanditon--and the attack was not very violent--nearly over by the time we reached your Hotel--so that we got her out of the Carriage extremely well, with only M^r Woodcock’s assistance--

( 117 )

& when I left her she was directing the Disposal of the Luggage, & helping old Sam uncord the Trunks.--She desired her best Love, with a thousand regrets at being so poor a Creature that she c^d not come with me. And as for poor Arthur, he w^d not have been unwilling himself, but there is so much Wind that I did not think he c^d safely venture,--for I am _sure_ there is Lumbago hanging about him--and so I helped him on with his great Coat & sent him off to the Terrace, to take us Lodgings.--Miss Heywood must have seen our Carriage standing at the Hotel.--I knew Miss Heywood the moment I saw her before me on the Down.--My dear Tom I am glad to see you walk so well. Let me feel your Ancle.--That’s right; all right & clean. The play of your Sinews a _very_ little affected:--barely perceptible.

( 118 )

--Well--now for the explanation of my being here.--I told you in my Letter, of the two considerable Families, I was hoping to secure for you-- the West Indians, & the Seminary.--” Here M^r P. drew his Chair still nearer to his Sister, & took her hand again most affectionately as he answered “Yes, Yes;--How active & how kind you have been!”--“The Westindians, she continued, whom I look upon as the _most_ desirable of the two --as the Best of the Good--prove to be a M^{rs} Griffiths & her family. I know them only through others.--You must have heard me mention Miss Capper, the particular friend of _my_ very particular friend Fanny Noyce;--now, Miss Capper is extremely intimate with a M^{rs} Darling, who is on terms of constant correspondence with M^{rs} Griffiths herself.--Only a _short_ chain, you see,

( 119 )

between us, & not a Link wanting. M^{rs} G. meant to go to the Sea, for her Young People’s benefit--had fixed on the coast of Sussex, but was undecided as to the where, wanted something Private, & wrote to ask the opinion of her friend M^{rs} Darling.--Miss Capper happened to be staying with M^{rs} D. when M^{rs} G.’s Letter arrived, & was consulted on the question; _she_ wrote the same day to Fanny Noyce and mentioned it to her--& Fanny all alive for _us_, instantly took up her pen & forwarded the circumstance to me-- except as to _Names_--which have but lately transpired.--There was but _one_ thing for _me_ to do.--I answered Fanny’s Letter by the same Post & pressed for the recommendation of Sanditon. Fanny had feared your having no house large enough to receive such a Family.--But I seem to be

( 120 )

spinning out my story to an endless length.--You see how it was all managed. I had the pleasure of hearing soon afterwards by the same simple link of connection that Sanditon _had been_ recommended by M^{rs} Darling, & that the Westindians were very much disposed to go thither.--This was the state of the case when I wrote to you; --but two days ago;--yes, the day before yesterday--I heard again from Fanny Noyce, saying that _she_ had heard from Miss Capper, who by a Letter from M^{rs} Darling understood that M^{rs} G.-- has expressed herself in a letter to M^{rs} D. more doubtingly on the subject of Sanditon.--Am I clear? --I would be anything rather than not clear.”--“Oh! perfectly, perfectly. Well?”--“The reason of this hesitation, was her having no connections in the place, & no means of ascertaining

( 121 )

that she should have good accomodations on arriving there;--and she was particularly careful & scrupulous on all those matters more on account of a certain Miss Lambe a young Lady (probably a Neice) under her care, than on her own account or her Daughters. --Miss Lambe has an immense fortune --richer than all the rest--& very delicate health.--One sees clearly enough by all this, the _sort_ of Woman M^{rs} G. must be--as helpless & indolent, as Wealth & a Hot Climate are apt to make us. But we are not all born to equal Energy.--What was to be done? --I had a few moments indecision;-- Whether to offer to write to _you_,--or to M^{rs} Whitby to secure them a House? --but neither pleased me.--I hate to employ others, when I am equal to act myself--and my conscience told me that this was an occasion which called

( 122 )

for me. Here was a family of helpless Invalides whom I might essentially serve.--I sounded Susan--the same Thought had occurred to her.--Arthur made no difficulties--our plan was arranged immediately, we were off yesterday morn^g at 6--, left Chichester at the same hour today--& here we are.--” “Excellent!--Excellent!-- cried M^r Parker.--Diana, you are unequal’d in serving your friends & doing Good to all the World.--I know nobody like you.--Mary, my Love, is not she a wonderful Creature?--Well--and now, what House do you design to engage for them?--What is the size of their family?--” “I do not at all know--replied his Sister--have not the least idea;--never heard any particulars; --but I am very sure that the largest house at Sanditon cannot be _too_ large. They are more likely to

( 123 )

want a second.--I shall take only one however, & that, but for a week certain. --Miss Heywood, I astonish you.-- You hardly know what to make of me. --I see by your Looks, that you are not used to such quick measures.”-- The words “Unaccountable Officiousness! --Activity run mad!”--had just passed through Charlotte’s mind--but a civil answer was easy. “I dare say I do look surprised, said she--because these are very great exertions, & I know what Invalides both you & your Sister are.” “Invalides indeed.--I trust there are not three People in England who have so sad a right to that appellation! --But my dear Miss Heywood, we are sent into this World to be as extensively useful as possible, & where some degree of Strength of Mind is given, it is not a feeble body which will excuse us--or incline us to excuse ourselves.--

( 124 )

The World is pretty much divided between the Weak of Mind & the Strong --between those who can act & those who can not, & it is the bounden Duty of the Capable to let no opportunity of being useful escape them.--My Sister’s Complaints & mine are happily not often of a Nature, to threaten Existence _immediately_--& as long as we _can_ exert ourselves to be of use of others, I am convinced that the Body is the better, for the refreshment the Mind receives in doing it’s Duty.--While I have been travelling, with this object in veiw, I have been perfectly well.”-- The entrance of the Children ended this little panegyric on her own Disposition --& after having noticed & caressed them all,--she prepared to go.--“Cannot you dine with us?--Is not it possible to prevail on you to dine with us?” was then the cry; and _that_

( 125 )

being absolutely negatived, it was “And when shall we see you again? and how can we be of use to you?”-- and M^r P. warmly offered his assistance in taking the house for M^{rs} G.--“I will come to you the moment I have dined, said he, & we will go about together.”--But this was immediately declined.--“No, my dear Tom, upon no account in the World, shall you stir a step on any business of mine.--Your Ancle wants rest. I see by the position of your foot, that you have used it too much already.--No, I shall go about my House-taking directly. Our Dinner is not ordered till six--& by that time I hope to have completed it. It is now only ½ past 4.--As to seeing _me_ again today--I cannot answer for it; the others will be at the Hotel all the Even^g, & delighted to see you at any time, but as soon as I get back I shall

( 126 )

hear what Arthur has done about our own Lodgings, & probably the moment Dinner is over, shall be out again on business relative to them, for we hope to get into some Lodgings or other & be settled after breakfast to- morrow.--I have not much confidence in poor Arthur’s skill for Lodging- taking, but he seemed to like the commission.--” “I think you are doing too much, said M^r P. You will knock yourself up. You sh^d not move again after Dinner.” “No, indeed you should not. cried his wife, for Dinner is such a mere _name_ with you all, that it can do you no good.--I know what your appetites are.--” “My appetite is very much mended I assure you lately. I have been taking some Bitters of my own decocting, which have done wonders. Susan never eats I grant you-- & just at present _I_ shall want nothing;

( 127 )

I never eat for about a week after a Journey--but as for Arthur, he is only too much disposed for Food. We are often obliged to check him.”-- “But you have not told me any thing of the _other_ Family coming to Sanditon, said M^r P. as he walked with her to the door of the House--the Camberwell Seminary; have we a good chance of _them_?” “Oh! Certain--quite certain. --I had forgotten them for the moment, but I had a letter 3 days ago from my friend M^{rs} Charles Dupuis which assured me of Camberwell. Camberwell will be here to a certainty, & very soon.--_That_ good Woman (I do not know her name) not being so wealthy & independant as M^{rs} G.-- can travel & chuse for herself.--I will tell you how I got at _her_. M^{rs} Charles Dupuis lives almost next door to a Lady, who has a relation lately settled

( 128 )

at Clapham, who actually attends the Seminary and gives lessons on Eloquence and Belles Lettres to some of the Girls.--I got that Man a Hare from one of Sidney’s friends--and he recommended Sanditon;--Without _my_ appearing however--M^{rs} Charles Dupuis managed it all.--”

( 129 )