The natural result was, Forty-eight Bloomsbury
Square was coming round to the stranger's opinion of itself.
Mrs. Pennycherry, the stranger would persist in regarding as a lady
born and bred, compelled by circumstances over which she had no
control to fill an arduous but honorable position of middle-class
society--a sort of foster-mother, to whom were due the thanks and
gratitude of her promiscuous family; and this view of herself Mrs.
Pennycherry now clung to with obstinate conviction. There were
disadvantages attaching, but these Mrs. Pennycherry appeared prepared
to suffer cheerfully. A lady born and bred cannot charge other ladies
and gentlemen for coals and candles they have never burnt; a
foster-mother cannot palm off upon her children New Zealand mutton for
Southdown. A mere lodging-house-keeper can play these tricks, and
pocket the profits. But a lady feels she cannot: Mrs. Pennycherry
felt she no longer could.
To the stranger Miss Kite was a witty and delightful conversationalist
of most attractive personality. Miss Kite had one failing: it was
lack of vanity. She was unaware of her own delicate and refined
beauty. If Miss Kite could only see herself with his, the stranger's
eyes, the modesty that rendered her distrustful of her natural charms
would fall from her.
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