difference of her
manners to the Miss Steeles, a difference which seemed purposely made
to humble her more, only amused her. She could not but smile to see
the graciousness of both mother and daughter towards the very
person--for Lucy was particularly distinguished--whom of all others,
had they known as much as she did, they would have been most anxious
to mortify; while she herself, who had comparatively no power to wound
them, sat pointedly slighted by both. But while she smiled at a
graciousness so misapplied, she could not reflect on the mean-spirited
folly from which it sprung, nor observe the studied attentions with
which the Miss Steeles courted its continuance, without thoroughly
despising them all four.

Lucy was all exultation on being so honorably distinguished; and Miss
Steele wanted only to be teased about Dr. Davies to be perfectly
happy.

The dinner was a grand one, the servants were numerous, and every
thing bespoke the Mistress's inclination for show, and the Master's
ability to support it. In spite of the improvements and additions
which were making to the Norland estate, and in spite of its owner
having once been within some thousand pounds of being obliged to sell
out at a loss, nothing gave any symptom of that indigence which he had
tried to infer from it; no poverty of any kind, except of
conversation, appeared; but there, the deficiency was considerable.
John Dashwood had not much to say for himself that was worth hearing,
and his wife had still less. But there was no peculiar disgrace in
this; for it was very much the case with the chief of their visitors,
who almost all laboured under one or other of these disqualifications
for being agreeable--Want of sense, either natural or improved--want
of elegance--want of spirits--or want of temper.

When the ladies withdrew to the drawing-room after dinner, this
poverty was particularly evident, for the gentlemen _had_ supplied the
discourse with some variety--the variety of politics, inclosing land,
and breaking horses--but then it was all over; and one subject only
engaged the ladies till coffee came in, which was the comparative
heights of Harry Dashwood, and Lady Middleton's second son William,
who were nearly of the same age.

Had both the children been there, the affair might have been
determined too easily by measuring them at once; but as Harry only was
present, it was all conjectural assertion on both sides; and every
body had a right to