acted and voted on the radical side because
there was nothing to be got by voting and acting on the other. And now
there had come into Suffolk a rumour that Mr Primero was to have a
peerage. To others the rumour was incredible, but Mr Longestaffe
believed it, and to Mr Longestaffe that belief was an agony. A Baron
Bundlesham just at his door, and such a Baron Bundlesham, would be
more than Mr Longestaffe could endure. It was quite impossible that
his daughter should be entertained in London by the Primeros.

But another suggestion had been made. Georgiana's letter had been laid
on her father's table on the Monday morning. On the following morning,
when there could have been no intercourse with London by letter, Lady
Pomona called her younger daughter to her, and handed her a note to
read. 'Your papa has this moment given it me. Of course you must judge
for yourself.' This was the note;--

MY DEAR MR LONGESTAFFE,

As you seem determined not to return to London this season,
perhaps one of your young ladies would like to come to us. Mrs
Melmotte would be delighted to have Miss Georgiana for June and
July. If so, she need only give Mrs Melmotte a day's notice.

Yours truly,

AUGUSTUS MELMOTTE

Georgiana, as soon as her eye had glanced down the one side of note
paper on which this invitation was written, looked up for the date. It
was without a date, and had, she felt sure, been left in her father's
hands to be used as he might think fit. She breathed very hard. Both
her father and mother had heard her speak of these Melmottes, and knew
what she thought of them. There was an insolence in the very
suggestion. But at the first moment she said nothing of that. 'Why
shouldn't I go to the Primeros?' she asked.

'Your father will not hear of it. He dislikes them especially.'

'And I dislike the Melmottes. I dislike the Primeros of course, but
they are not so bad as the Melmottes. That would be dreadful.'

'You must judge for yourself; Georgiana.'

'It is that,--or staying here?'

'I think so, my dear.'

'If papa chooses I don't know why I am to mind. It will be awfully
disagreeable,--absolutely disgusting!'

'She seemed to be very quiet.'

'Pooh, mamma! Quiet! She was quiet here because she was afraid of us.
She isn't yet used to be with people like us. She'll get over that if
I'm in the house with her. And then she is, oh! so frightfully vulgar!
She must have been the very sweeping of t