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Within a few days after this , the newspapers announced to the world, that the lady of Thomas Palmer, Esq was safely delivered of a son and heir; a very interesting and satisfactory paragraph, at least to all those intihly is's happiness, produced a temporary alteration in the disposal of her tie friends; for as she wished to be as much as possible with Charlotte, she went thither everyas soon as she was dressed, and did not return till late in the evening; and the Miss Dashwoods, at the particular request of the Middletons, spent the whole of every day, in every day in Conduit Street For their own comfort they would , in Mrs Jennings's house; but it was not a thing to be urged against the wishes of everybody Their hours were therefore made over to Lady Middleton and the two Miss Steeles, by whom their company, in fact was as little valued, as it was professedly sought

They had too much sense to be desirable companions to the former; and by the latter they were considered with a jealous eye, as intruding on THEIR ground, and sharing the kindness which they wanted tocould be more polite than Lady Middleton's behaviour to Elinor and Marianne, she did not really like them at all Because they neither flattered herself nor her children, she could not believe the, she fancied the what it was to be satirical; but THAT did not signify It was censure in coiven

Their presence was a restraint both on her and on Lucy It checked the idleness of one, and the business of the other Lady Middleton was asha before them, and the flattery which Lucy was proud to think of and administer at other ti Miss Steele was the least discomposed of the three, by their presence; and it was in their power to reconcile her to it entirely Would either of theiven her a full and minute account of the whole affair between Marianne and Mr Willoughby, she would have thought herself amply rewarded for the sacrifice of the best place by the fire after dinner, which their arrival occasioned

But this conciliation was not granted; for though she often threw out expressions of pity for her sister to Elinor, and more than once dropt a reflection on the inconstancy of beaux before Marianne, no effect was produced, but a look of indifference froust in the latter An effort even yet lighter hed at her about the Doctor! But so little were they, anye her, that if Sir John dined fro any other raillery on the subject, than what she was kind enough to bestow on herself