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becca, who amused her. Mrs. Bute could not disguise from
herself the fact that none of her party could so contribute to
the pleasures of the town-bred lady. ‘My girls’ singing, after
that little odious governess’s, I know is unbearable,’ the can-
did Rector’s wife owned to herself. ‘She always used to go to
sleep when Martha and Louisa played their duets. Jim’s stiff
college manners and poor dear Bute’s talk about his dogs
and horses always annoyed her. If I took her to the Rectory,
she would grow angry with us all, and fly, I know she would;
and might fall into that horrid Rawdon’s clutches again, and
be the victim of that little viper of a Sharp. Meanwhile, it is
clear to me that she is exceedingly unwell, and cannot move
for some weeks, at any rate; during which we must think of
some plan to protect her from the arts of those unprincipled
people.’
In the very best-of moments, if anybody told Miss Craw-
ley that she was, or looked ill, the trembling old lady sent
off for her doctor; and I daresay she was very unwell after
the sudden family event, which might serve to shake stron-
ger nerves than hers. At least, Mrs. Bute thought it was her
duty to inform the physician, and the apothecary, and the
dame-de-compagnie, and the domestics, that Miss Crawley
was in a most critical state, and that they were to act ac-
cordingly. She had the street laid knee-deep with straw; and
the knocker put by with Mr. Bowls’s plate. She insisted that
the Doctor should call twice a day; and deluged her patient
with draughts every two hours. When anybody entered the
room, she uttered a shshshsh so sibilant and ominous, that
it frightened the poor old lady in her bed, from which she

268 Vanity Fair