Elizabeth Gaskell

“ So Roger went up to London and Osborne followed him, and for two or three weeks the Gibsons saw nothing of the brothers. But as wave succeeds to wave, so interest succeeds to interest. 'The family,' as they were called, came down for their autumn sojourn at the Towers; and again the house was full of visitors, and the Towers' servants, and carriages, and liveries were seen in the two streets of Hollingford, just as they might have been seen for scores of autumns past. ”

“ He thinks he is going to be very successful in the choice of his man—and he belongs to this county, too,—young Hamley of Hamley, if he can only get his college to let him go, for he's a Fellow of Trinity, Senior Wrangler or something; and they're not so foolish as to send their crack man to be eaten up by lions and tigers!'
'It must be Roger Hamley!' exclaimed Cynthia, her eyes brightening, and her cheeks flushing. ”

“ I delight in long walks. If you want Molly out of the way, mamma, send her to the Miss Brownings'—they are always glad to see her.'
'I never said I wanted Molly out of the way, Cynthia,' replied Mrs Gibson. 'You always put things in such an exaggerated—I should almost say, so coarse a manner. I am sure, Molly, my love, you could never have so misunderstood me; it is only on Lady Harriet's account.'
'I don't think I can walk as far as the Holly Farm; papa would take the message; Cynthia need not go.'
'Well! I'm the last person in the world to tax any one's strength ”

“ Such various forms does man's vanity take! Sometimes it stimulates philanthropy; sometimes a love of science!'
'It seems to me a very laudable and useful object, I am sure,' said Mrs. Gibson, safely.
'I daresay it is, taking it from the public-good view. But it is rather tiresome to us privately, for it keeps Hollingford in town—or between it and Cambridge—and each place as dull and empty as can be, just when we want him down at the Towers. The thing ought to have been decided long ago, and there's some danger of the legacy lapsing. ”

“ So runs the round of life from day to day. Mrs. Gibson found the chances of intercourse with the Towers rather more personally exciting than Roger's visits, or the rarer calls of Osborne Hamley. Cynthia had an old antipathy to the great family who had made so much of her mother and so little of her; and whom she considered as in some measure the cause why she had seen so little of her mother in the days when the little girl had craved for love and found none. Moreover, Cynthia missed her slave, although she did not care for Roger one thousandth part of what he did for her ”

“ My "business" will take me till then, as the people at the Towers are duly informed.'
'Certainly. I shall be delighted! but you know we are very simple in our habits.'
'Oh, I only want a little bread and butter, and perhaps a slice of cold meat—you must not give yourself any trouble, Clare—perhaps you dine now? let me sit down just like one of your family.'
'Yes, you shall; I won't make any alteration;—it will be so pleasant to have you sharing our family meal, dear Lady Harriet. But we dine late, we only lunch now. How low the fire is getting ”

“ She is so good I would not disturb her in her religion for the world.'
'Then you shall be married both there and at the church of the parish in which she lives as well,' said Roger, decidedly.
'It's a great deal of trouble, unnecessary trouble, and unnecessary expense, I should say,' said Osborne. 'Why can't you leave well alone? Neither Aimee nor I are of the sort of stuff to turn scoundrels and deny the legality of our marriage, and if the child is a boy and my father dies, and I die, why I'm. ”

“ The two other trustees have run away to the Continent, feeling, as they say, the utmost confidence in him, but in reality shirking their responsibilities. However, I believe he likes it, so I ought not to grumble. ”