People who talked of the lady and her set with a contemptuous
shrug of the shoulders and a dubious elevation of the eyebrows were
ready, when hard pushed in argument, to admit that they knew of no
actual harm in Lady Kirkbank, no overt bad behaviour.
'But--well,' said the punctilious half of society, the Pejinks and
Pernickitys, the Picksomes and Unco-Goods, 'Lady Kirkbank is--Lady
Kirkbank; and I would not allow my girls to visit her, don't you know.'
'Lady Kirkbank is received, certainly,' said a severe dowager. 'She
goes to very good houses. She gets tickets for the Royal enclosure. She
is always at private views, and privileged shows of all kinds; and she
contrives to squeeze herself in at a State ball or a concert about once
in two years; but any one who can consider Lady Kirkbank good style must
have a very curious idea of what a lady ought to be.' 'Lady Kirkbank is
a warm-hearted, nice creature,' said a diplomatist of high rank, and one
of her particular friends, 'but her manners are decidedly--continental!'
About Sir George, society, adverse or friendly, was without strong
opinions.
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