Guy Mannering.

GUY MANNERING. 225
thoughts. She was now about to be consigned to the
charge, almost to the benevolence, of strangers, with
whose character, though hitherto very amiably displayed,
she was but imperfectly acquainted. The moments,
therefore, of suspense passed anxiously and heavily.
At length the trampling of horses and the sound of
wheels were heard. The servants, who had already
arrived, drew up in the hall to receive their master and
mistress, with an importance and enipressement, which, to
Lucy, who had never been accustomed to society, or
witnessed what is called the manners of the great, had
something alarming. Mac-Morlan went to the door to
receive the master and mistress of the family, and in a
few moments they were in the drawing-room.
Mannering, who had travelled, as usual, on horseback,
entered with his daughter hanging upon his arm. She
was of the middle size, or rather less, but formed with
much elegance; piercing dark eyes, and jet black hair
of great length, corresponded with the vivacity and intelligence of features, in which were blended a little
haughtiness and a little bashfulness, a great deal of
shrewdness, and some power of humorous sarcasm. " I
shall not like her," was the result of Lucy Bertram's first
glance; "and yet I rather think I shall," was the thought
excited by the second.
Miss Mannering was furred and mantled up to the
throat against the severity of the weather; the Colonel
in his military great-coat. He bowed to IMrs. M3acMorlan, whom his daughter also acknowledged with a
fashionable courtesy, not dropped so low as at all to
incommode her person. The Colonel then led his
daughter up to Miss Bertram, and, taking the hand of
the latter, with an air of great kindness, and almost
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