Fisher's
feet.
"Of course if you choose to throw your money about--" she said at last,
disapproving but immensely relieved, while Mr. Wilkins was rapt in the
contemplation of the precious qualities of blue blood. This readiness,
for instance, not to trouble about money, this free-handedness--it
was not only what one admired in others, admired in others perhaps
more than anything else, but it was extraordinarily useful to the
professional classes. When met with it should be encouraged by warmth
of reception. Mrs. Fisher was not warm. She accepted--from which
he deduced that with her wealth went closeness--but she accepted
grudgingly. Presents were presents, and one did not look them in this
manner in the mouth, he felt; and if Lady Caroline found her pleasure
in presenting his wife and Mrs. Fisher with their entire food for
a week, it was their part to accept gracefully. One should not
discourage gifts.
On behalf of his wife, then, Mr. Wilkins expressed what she would
wish to express, and remarking to Lady Caroline--with a touch of
lightness, for so should gifts be accepted in order to avoid
embarrassing the donor--that she had in that case been his wife's
hostess since her arrival, he turned almost gaily to Mrs. Fisher and
pointed out that she and his wife must now jointly write Lady Caroline
the customary latter of thanks for hospitality.
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