Mary had received no gifts from her lover, save the plain gold
engagement ring, and a few new books sent straight from the publishers.
Clara took care to inform her young mistress that Miss Freeman's
sweetheart had sent her all manner of splendid presents, scent bottles,
photograph albums, glove boxes, and other things of beauty, albeit his
means were supposed to be _nil_. It was evident that Clara disapproved
of Mr. Hammond's conduct in this matter, and even suspected him of
meanness.
'He did ought to have sent you his photograph, Lady Mary,' said Clara,
with a reproachful air.
'I daresay he would have done so, Clara, but he has been photographed
only once in his life.'
'Lawk a mercy, Lady Mary! Why most young gentlemen have themselves
photographed in every new place they go to; and as Mr. Hammond has been
a traveller, like his lordship, I made sure he'd have been photographed
in knickerbockers and every other kind of attitude.'
Mary had not refrained from asking for her lover's portrait; and he had
told her that he had carefully abstained from having his countenance
reproduced in any manner since his fifteenth year, when he had been
photographed at his mother's desire.
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