It was not a week, since Miss Diana
Parker had been told by her feelings,
that the Sea Air w^d probably in her
present state, be the death of her, and
now she was at Sanditon, intending to
make some Stay, & without appearing
to have the slightest recollection of
having written or felt any such thing.--
It was impossible for Charlotte not to
suspect a good deal of fancy in such
an extraordinary state of health.--Disorders
& Recoveries so very much out
of the common way, seemed more like
the amusement of eager Minds in want
of employment than of actual afflictions
& releif. The Parkers, were no
( 130 )
doubt a family of Imagination & quick
feelings--and while the eldest Brother
found vent for his superfluity of sensation
as a Projector, the Sisters were
perhaps driven to dissipate theirs in
the invention of odd complaints.--
The _whole_ of their mental vivacity was
evidently not so employed; Part was
laid out in a Zeal for being useful.--
It should seem that they must either
be very busy for the Good of others,
or else extremely ill themselves. Some
natural delicacy of Constitution in fact,
with an unfortunate turn for Medecine,
especially quack Medecine, had given
them an early tendency at various
times, to various Disorders;--the rest
of their sufferings was from Fancy,
the love of Distinction & the love of
the Wonderful.--They had Charitable
hearts & many amiable feelings--but
a spirit of restless activity, & the glory
( 131 )
of doing more than anybody else, had
their share in every exertion of Benevolence
--and there was Vanity in all
they did, as well as in all they endured.
--M^r & M^{rs} P. spent a great part of
the Even^g at the Hotel; but Charlotte
had only two or three veiws of Miss
Diana posting over the Down after
a House for this Lady whom she had
never seen, & who had never employed
her. She was not made acquainted
with the others till the following day,
when, being removed into Lodgings &
all the party continuing quite well,
their Brother & Sister & herself were
entreated to drink tea with them.--
They were in one of the Terrace Houses
--& she found them arranged for the
Even^g in a small neat Drawing room,
with a beautiful veiw of the Sea if they
had chosen it,--but though it had been
a very fair English Summer-day,--not
( 132 )
only was there no open window, but
the Sopha & the Table, & the Establishment
in general was all at the other
end of the room by a brisk fire.--
Miss P-- whom, remembering the three
Teeth drawn in one day, Charlotte
approached with a peculiar degree of
respectful Compassion, was not very
unlike her Sister in person or manner
--tho’ more thin & worn by Illness &
Medecine, more relaxed in air, & more
subdued in voice. She talked however,
the whole Evening as incessantly
as Diana--& excepting that she sat
with salts in her hand, took Drops two
or three times from one, out of the
several Phials already at home on the
Mantlepeice,--& made a great many
odd faces & contortions, Charlotte could
perceive no symptoms of illness which
she, in the boldness of her own good
health, w^d not have undertaken to
( 133 )
cure, by putting out the fire, opening
the Window, & disposing of the Drops
& the salts by means of one or the
other. She had had considerable curiosity
to see M^r Arthur Parker; & having
fancied him a very puny, delicate-
looking young Man, the smallest very
materially of not a robust Family,
was astonished to find him quite as
tall as his Brother & a great deal
Stouter--Broad made & Lusty--and
with no other look of an Invalide, than
a sodden complexion.--Diana was evidently
the cheif of the family; principal
Mover & Actor;--she had been
on her Feet the whole Morning, on
M^{rs} G.’s business or their own, & was
still the most alert of the three.--
Susan had only superintended their
final removal from the Hotel, bringing
two heavy Boxes herself, & Arthur had
found the air so cold that he had
( 134 )
merely walked from one House to the
other as nimbly as he could,--& boasted
much of sitting by the fire till he had
cooked up a very good one.--Diana,
whose exercise had been too domestic
to admit of calculation, but who, by
her own account, had not once sat
down during the space of seven hours,
confessed herself a little tired. She
had been too successful however for
much fatigue; for not only had she
by walking & talking down a thousand
difficulties at last secured a proper
House at 8^g p^r week for M^{rs} G.--;
she had also opened so many Treaties
with Cooks, Housemaids, Washerwomen
& Bathing Women, that M^{rs} G.
would have little more to do on her
arrival, than to wave her hand &
collect them around her for choice.--
Her concluding effort in the cause, had
been a few polite lines of Information
( 135 )
to M^{rs} G. herself--time not allowing
for the circuitous train of intelligence
which had been hitherto kept up,--
and she was now regaling in the delight
of opening the first Trenches of an
acquaintance with such a powerful discharge
of unexpected Obligation. M^r
& M^{rs} P.-- & Charlotte had seen two
Post chaises crossing the Down to the
Hotel as they were setting off,--a joyful
sight--& full of speculation.--The
Miss Ps-- & Arthur had also seen
something;--they could distinguish
from their window that there _was_ an
arrival at the Hotel, but not its amount.
Their Visitors answered for two Hack-
Chaises.--Could it be the Camberwell
Seminary?--No--No.--Had there been
a 3^d carriage, perhaps it might; but
it was very generally agreed that two
Hack chaises could never contain a
Seminary.--M^r P. was confident of
( 136 )
another new Family.--When they were
all finally seated, after some removals
to look at the Sea & the Hotel, Charlotte’s
place was by Arthur, who was
sitting next to the Fire with a degree
of Enjoyment which gave a good deal
of merit to his civility in wishing her
to take his Chair.--There was nothing
dubious in her manner of declining it,
and he sat down again with much
satisfaction. She drew back her Chair
to have all the advantage of his Person
as a screen, & was very thankful for
every inch of Back & Shoulders beyond
her pre-conceived idea. Arthur was
heavy in Eye as well as figure, but by
no means indisposed to talk;--and
while the other 4 were cheifly engaged
together, he evidently felt it no penance
to have a fine young Woman next to
him, requiring in common Politeness
some attention--as his B^r, who felt
( 137 )
the decided want of some motive for
action, some Powerful object of animation
for him, observed with considerable
pleasure.--Such was the influence of
Youth & Bloom that he began even to
make a sort of apology for having a
Fire. “We sh^d not have one at home,
said he, but the Sea air is always
damp. I am not afraid of any thing so
much as Damp.--” “I am so fortunate,
said C. as never to know whether
the air is damp or dry. It has always
some property that is wholesome &
invigorating to me.--” “_I_ like the
Air too, as well as any body can;
replied Arthur, I am very fond of
standing at an open Window when
there is no Wind--but unluckily a
Damp air does not like _me_.--It gives
me the Rheumatism.--You are not
rheumatic I suppose?--” “Not at
all.” “That’s a great blessing.--But
( 138 )
perhaps you are nervous.” “No--
I beleive not. I have no idea that I
am.”--“_I_ am very nervous.--To say
the truth Nerves are the worst part of
my Complaints in _my_ opinion.--My
Sisters think me Bilious, but I doubt
it.--” “You are quite in the right, to
doubt it as long as you possibly can,
I am sure.--” “If I were Bilious, he
continued, you know Wine w^d disagree
with me, but it always does me good.--
The more Wine I drink (in Moderation)
the better I am.--I am always best of
an Even^g.--If you had seen me today
before Dinner, you w^d have thought
me a very poor Creature.--” Charlotte
could beleive it--. She kept her
countenance however, & said--“As
far as I can understand what nervous
complaints are, I have a great idea of
the efficacy of air & exercise for them:
--daily, regular Exercise;--and I
( 139 )
should recommend rather more of it
to _you_ than I suspect you are in the
habit of taking.”--“Oh! I am very
fond of exercise myself--he replied--
& mean to walk a great deal while I
am here, if the Weather is temperate.
I shall be out every morning before
breakfast--& take several turns upon
the Terrace, & you will often see me
at Trafalgar House.”--“But you do
not call a walk to Traf: H. much
exercise?--” “Not, as to mere distance,
but the Hill is so steep!--
Walking up that Hill, in the middle of
the day, would throw me into such a
Perspiration!--You would see me all
in a Bath by the time I got there!--
I am very subject to Perspiration, and
there cannot be a surer sign of Nervousness.--”
They were now advancing so
deep in Physics, that Charlotte veiwed
the entrance of the Servant with the
( 140 )
Tea things, as a very fortunate Interruption.
--It produced a great & immediate
change. The young Man’s
attentions were instantly lost. He took
his own Cocoa from the Tray,--which
seemed provided with almost as many
Teapots &c as there were persons in
company, Miss P. drinking one sort of
Herb-Tea & Miss Diana another, &
turning completely to the Fire, sat
coddling & cooking it to his own
satisfaction & toasting some Slices of
Bread, brought up ready-prepared in
the Toast rack--and till it was all
done, she heard nothing of his voice
but the murmuring of a few broken
sentences of self-approbation & success.
--When his Toils were over however,
he moved back his Chair into as gallant
a Line as ever, & proved that he had
not been working only for himself,
by his earnest invitation to her to take
( 141 )
both Cocoa & Toast.--She was already
helped to Tea--which surprised him--
so totally self-engrossed had he been.--
“I thought I should have been in
time, said he, but cocoa takes a great
deal of Boiling.”--“I am much obliged
to you, replied Charlotte--but I _prefer_
Tea.” “Then I will help myself, said
he.--A large Dish of rather weak Cocoa
every evening, agrees with me better
than any thing.”--It struck her however,
as he poured out this rather weak
Cocoa, that it came forth in a very
fine, dark coloured stream--and at
the same moment, his Sisters both
crying out--“Oh! Arthur, you get
your Cocoa stronger & stronger every
Even^g”--, with Arthur’s somewhat
conscious reply of “T_is_ rather stronger
than it should be tonight”--convinced
her that Arthur was by no means so
fond of being starved as they could
( 142 )
desire, or as he felt proper himself.--
He was certainly very happy to turn
the conversation on dry Toast, & hear
no more of his sisters.--“I hope you
will eat some of this Toast, said he,
I reckon myself a very good Toaster;
I never burn my Toasts--I never put
them too near the Fire at first--& yet,
you see, there is not a Corner but
what is well browned.--I hope you
like dry Toast.”--“With a reasonable
quantity of Butter spread over it, very
much--said Charlotte--but not otherwise.--”
“No more do I--said he
exceedingly pleased--We think quite
alike there.--So far from dry Toast
being wholesome, _I_ think it a very
bad thing for the Stomach. Without
a little butter to soften it, it hurts the
Coats of the Stomach. I am sure it
does.--I will have the pleasure of
spreading some for you directly--&
( 143 )
afterwards I will spread some for myself.
--Very bad indeed for the Coats
of the Stomach--but there is no convincing
_some_ people.--It irritates &
acts like a nutmeg grater.--” He could
not get the command of the Butter
however, without a struggle; His
Sisters accusing him of eating a great
deal too much, & declaring he was
not to be trusted;--and he maintaining
that he only eat enough to secure
the Coats of his Stomach;--& besides,
he only wanted it now for Miss Heywood.
--Such a plea must prevail, he
got the butter & spread away for her
with an accuracy of Judgement which
at least delighted himself; but when
her Toast was done, & he took his own
in hand, Charlotte c^d hardly contain
herself as she saw him watching his
sisters, while he scrupulously scraped
off almost as much butter as he put
( 144 )
on, & then seize an odd moment for
adding a great dab just before it went
into his Mouth.--Certainly, M^r Arthur
P.’s enjoyments in Invalidism were
very different from his sisters--by no
means so spiritualized.--A good deal
of Earthy Dross hung about him.
Charlotte could not but suspect him
of adopting that line of Life, principally
for the indulgence of an indolent
Temper--& to be determined on
having no Disorders but such as called
for warm rooms & good Nourishment.
--In one particular however, she soon
found that he had caught something
from _them_.--“What! said he--Do you
venture upon two dishes of strong
Green Tea in one Even^g?--What
Nerves you must have!--How I envy
you.--Now, if _I_ were to swallow only
one such dish--what do you think it’s
effect would be upon me?--” “Keep
( 145 )
you awake perhaps all night”--replied
Charlotte, meaning to overthrow his
attempts at Surprise, by the Grandeur
of her own Conceptions.--“Oh! if
that were all!--he exclaimed.--No--
it acts on me like Poison and w^d
entirely take away the use of my right
side, before I had swallowed it 5
minutes.--It sounds almost incredible
--but it has happened to me so often
that I cannot doubt it.--The use of
my right Side is entirely taken away
for several hours!” “It sounds rather
odd to be sure--answered Charlotte
coolly--but I dare say it would be
proved to be the simplest thing in the
World, by those who have studied
right sides & Green Tea scientifically
& thoroughly understand all the possibilities
of their action on each other.”
--Soon after Tea, a Letter was brought
to Miss D. P-- from the Hotel.--
( 146 )
“From M^{rs} Charles Dupuis--said she.
--some private hand.”--And having
read a few lines, exclaimed aloud
“Well, this is very extraordinary!
very extraordinary indeed!--That both
should have the same name.--Two M^{rs}
Griffiths!--This is a Letter of recommendation
& introduction to me, of
the Lady from Camberwell--& _her_
name happens to be Griffiths too.--”
A few lines more however, and the
colour rushed into her Cheeks, & with
much Perturbation she added--“The
oddest thing that ever was!--a Miss
Lambe too!--a young Westindian of
large Fortune.--But it _cannot_ be the
same.--Impossible that it should be
the same.”--She read the Letter aloud
for comfort.--It was merely to “introduce
the Bearer, M^{rs} G.-- from Camberwell,
& the three young Ladies
under her care, to Miss D. P.’s notice.--
( 147 )
M^{rs} G.-- being a stranger at Sanditon,
was anxious for a respectable Introduction--
& M^{rs} C. Dupuis therefore,
at the instance of the intermediate
friend, provided her with this Letter,
knowing that she c^d not do her dear
Diana a greater kindness than by
giving her the means of being useful.--
M^{rs} G.’s cheif solicitude w^d be for the
accomodation & comfort of one of the
young Ladies under her care, a Miss
Lambe, a young W. Indian of large
Fortune, in delicate health.”--“It was
very strange!--very remarkable!--
very extraordinary” but they were
all agreed in determ<in>ing it to be
_impossible_ that there should not be
two Families; such a totally distinct
set of people as were concerned in the
reports of each made that matter quite
certain. There _must_ be two Families.
--Impossible to be otherwise. “Impossible”
( 148 )
& “Impossible”, was repeated
over & over again with great
fervour.--An accidental resemblance
of Names & circumstances, however
striking at first, involved nothing really
incredible--and so it was settled.--
Miss Diana herself derived an immediate
advantage to counterbalance her
Perplexity. She must put her shawl
over her shoulders, & be running about
again. Tired as she was, she must
instantly repair to the Hotel, to investigate
the truth & offer her services.--
( 149 )