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Manoeuvring, Madame De Fleury, and the Dun [from Tales of Fashionable Life]. (v. 1)
Manoeuvring Madame De Fleury and the Dun - from Tales of Fashionable Life - v. 1 Author:Maria Edgeworth Volume: v. 1 General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1856 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than ... more »a million books for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER XL " And now, as oft in some distemper'd state, On one nice trick depends the gen'ral fate." Pope. That old politician the Cardinal of Lorraine used to say, that " A lie believed but for an hour doth many times, in a nation, produce effects of seven years'continuance." At this rate, what wonderful effects might our heroine have produced had she practised in public life, instead of confining her genius to family politics ! The game seemed now in her own hands. The day, the important day on which all her accounts with her son were to be settled ; the day when Mr. Palmer's will was to be signed, the last day he was to stay in England arrived. Mr. Beaumont's birthday, his coming of age, was of course hailed with every possible demonstration of joy. The village bells rang, the tenants were invited to a dinner and a dance, and an ox was to be roasted whole, and the preparations for rejoicing were heard all over the house. Mr. Palmer's benevolent heart was ever ready to take a share in the pleasures of his fellow-creatures, especially in the festivities of the lower classes. He appeared this morning in high good humour. Mrs. Beaumont, with a smile on her lips, yet with a brow of care, was considering how she could make pleasure subservient to interest, and how she could get business done in the midst of the amusements of the day. Most auspiciously did her day of business begin by Mr. Palmer's declaring to her that his will was actually made; that, with the exception of certain legacies, he had left his whole fortune to her during her life, with remainder to her son and daughter. " B...« less