CHAPTER V.

“Herwit Valuesitselfsohighly,thattoher Allmatterelseseemsweak.” —MuchAdoAboutNothing. Gwendolen’sreceptionintheneighborhoodfulfilledheruncle’sexpectations.FromBrackenshawCastletotheFirsatWanchester,whereMr.Quallonthebankerkeptageneroushouse,shewaswelcomedwithmanifestadmiration,andeventhoseladieswhodidnotquitelikeher,feltacomfortinhavinganew,strikinggirltoinviteforhostesseswhoentertainmuchmustmakeuptheirpartiesasministersmakeuptheircabinets,ongroundsotherthanpersonalliking.Then,inordertohaveGwendolenasaguest,itwasnotnecessarytoaskanyonewhowasdisagreeable,forMrs.Davilowalwaysmadeaquiet,picturesquefigureasachaperon,andMr.Gascoignewaseverywhereinrequestforhisownsake. AmongthehouseswhereGwendolenwasnotquiteliked,andyetinvited,wasQuetchamHall.Oneofherfirstinvitationswastoalargedinner-partythere,whichmadeasortofgeneralintroductionforhertothesocietyoftheneighborhoodforinaselectpartyofthirtyandofwell-composedproportionsastoage,fewvisitablefamiliescouldbeentirelyleftout.NoyouthfulfiguretherewascomparabletoGwendolen’sasshepassedthroughthelongsuiteofroomsadornedwithlightandflowers,and,visibleatfirstasaslimfigurefloatingalonginwhitedrapery,approachedthroughonewidedoorwayafteranotherintofullerilluminationanddefiniteness.Shehadneverhadthatsortofpromenadebefore,andshefeltexultinglythatitbefittedher:anyonelookingatherforthefirsttimemighthavesupposedthatlonggalleriesandlackeyshadalwaysbeenamatterofcourseinherlifewhilehercousinAnna,whowasreallymorefamiliarwiththesethings,feltalmostasmuchembarrassedasarabbitsuddenlydepositedinthatwell-lit-space. “WhoisthatwithGascoigne?”saidthearchdeacon,neglectingadiscussionofmilitarymanoeuvresonwhich,asaclergyman,hewasnaturallyappealedto.Andhisson,ontheothersideoftheroom—ahopefulyoungscholar,whohadalreadysuggestedsome“notlesselegantthaningenious,”emendationsofGreektexts—saidnearlyatthesametime,“ByGeorge!whoisthatgirlwiththeawfullywell-setheadandjollyfigure?” Buttoamindofgeneralbenevolence,wishingeverybodytolookwell,itwasratherexasperatingtoseehowGwendoleneclipsedothers:howeventhehandsomeMissLawe,explainedtobethedaughterofLadyLawe,lookedsuddenlybroad,heavyandinanimateandhowMissArrowpoint,unfortunatelyalsodressedinwhite,immediatelyresembledacarte-de-visiteinwhichonewouldfancytheskirtalonetohavebeenchargedfor.SinceMissArrowpointwasgenerallylikedfortheamiableunpretendingwayinwhichsheworeherfortunes,andmadeasofteningscreenfortheodditiesofhermother,thereseemedtobesomeunfitnessinGwendolen’slookingsomuchmorelikeapersonofsocialimportance. “Sheisnotreallysohandsomeifyoucometoexamineherfeatures,”saidMrs.Arrowpoint,laterintheevening,confidentiallytoMrs.Vulcany.“Itisacertainstyleshehas,whichproducesagreateffectatfirst,butafterwardsheislessagreeable.” Infact,Gwendolen,notintendingit,butintendingthecontrary,hadoffendedherhostess,who,thoughnotaspleneticorvindictivewoman,hadhersusceptibilities.SeveralconditionshadmetintheLadyofQuetchamwhichtothereasonersinthatneighborhoodseemedtohaveanessentialconnectionwitheachother.Itwasoccasionallyrecalledthatshehadbeentheheiressofafortunegainedbysomemoistordrybusinessinthecity,inorderfullytoaccountforherhavingasquatfigure,aharshparrot-likevoice,andasystematicallyhighhead-dressandsincethesepointsmadeherexternallyratherridiculous,itappearedtoma