he did it for
fashion's sake, you will say. But there was no one there who did
not as accurately know as she did herself, how absolutely beyond
fashion's way lay her way. She was making no fight to enter some
special portal of the world, as a lady may do who takes a house
suddenly in Mayfair, having come from God knows where. Her place in
the world was fixed, and she made no contest as to the fixing. She
hoped for no great change in the direction of society. Why on earth
did she perplex her mind and bruise her spirit, by giving a dinner a
la anything? Why did she not have the roast mutton alone, so that all
her guests might have eaten and have been merry?

She could not have answered this question herself, and I doubt
whether I can do so for her. But this I feel, that unless the
question can get itself answered, ordinary Englishmen must cease to
go and eat dinners at each other's houses. The ordinary Englishman,
of whom we are now speaking, has eight hundred a year; he lives in
London; and he has a wife and three or four children. Had he not
better give it up and go back to his little bit of fish and his leg
of mutton? Let him do that boldly, and he will find that we, his
friends, will come to him fast enough; yes, and will make a gala day
of it. By Heavens, we have no gala time of it when we go to dine with
Mrs Mackenzie a la Russe! Lady Mackenzie, whose husband has ever
so many thousands a year, no doubt does it very well. Money, which
cannot do everything,--which, if well weighed, cannot in its excess
perhaps do much,--can do some things. It will buy diamonds and give
grand banquets. But paste diamonds, and banquets which are only
would-be grand, are among the poorest imitations to which the world
has descended.

"So you really go to Littlebath to-morrow," Mr Rubb said to Miss
Mackenzie, when they were again together in the drawing-room.

"Yes, to-morrow morning. Susanna must be at school the next day."

"Happy Susanna! I wish I were going to school at Littlebath. Then I
shan't see you again before you go."

"No; I suppose not."

"I am so sorry, because I particularly wished to speak to you,--most
particularly. I suppose I could not see you in the morning? But, no;
it would not do. I could not get you alone without making such a fuss
of the thing."

"Couldn't you say it now?" asked Miss Mackenzie.

"I will, if you'll let me; only I suppose it isn't quite the thing to
talk about business at an evening party