The reception was got through somehow. Caroline "was glad to see them" (an unmitigated fib), hoped they were well, hoped Mrs. Sykes's cough was better (Mrs. Sykes had had a cough for the last twenty years), hoped the Misses Sykes had left their sisters at home well; to which inquiry the Misses Sykes, sitting on three chairs opposite the music-stool, whereon Caroline had undesignedly come to anchor, after wavering for some seconds between it and a large arm-chair, into which she at length recollected she ought to induct Mrs. Sykes--and indeed that lady saved her the trouble by depositing herself therein--the Misses Sykes replied to Caroline by one simultaneous bow, very majestic and mighty awful. A pause followed. This bow was of a character to ensure silence for the next five minutes, and it did. Mrs. Sykes then inquired after Mr. Helstone, and whether he had had any return of rheumatism, and whether preaching twice on a Sunday fatigued him, and if he was capable of taking a full service now; and on being assured he was, she and all her daughters, combining in chorus, expressed their opinion that he was "a wonderful man of his years."
Pause second.
Miss Mary, getting up the steam in her turn, asked whether Caroline had attended the Bible Society meeting which had been held at Nunnely last Thursday night. The negative answer which truth compelled Caroline to utter--for last Thursday evening she had been sitting at home, reading a novel which Robert had lent her--elicited a simultaneous expression of surprise from the lips of the four ladies.

The reception was got through somehow. Caroline "was glad to see them", hoped they were well, hoped Mrs. Sykes's cough was better (Mrs. Sykes had had a cough for the last twenty years), hoped the younger sisters at home were well; to which inquiry the Misses Sykes replied by one simultaneous bow, very majestic and mighty awful.
A pause followed. Mrs. Sykes then inquired after Mr. Helstone, and his rheumatism; and she and all her daughters, combining in chorus, expressed their opinion that he was "a wonderful man for his years."
Pause second.
Miss Mary, getting up steam in her turn, asked whether Caroline had attended the Bible Society meeting at Nunnely last Thursday night. Caroline's negative answer brought a simultaneous expression of surprise from the lips of the four ladies.
