The curates were left to shift for themselves. Sweeting, who was the least embarrassed of the three, took refuge beside Mrs. Sykes, who, he knew, was almost as fond of him as if he had been her son. Donne, after making his general bow with a grace all his own, and saying in a high, pragmatical voice, "How d'ye do, Miss Helstone?" dropped into a seat at Caroline's elbow, to her unmitigated annoyance, for she had a peculiar antipathy to Donne, on account of his stultified and immovable self-conceit and his incurable narrowness of mind. Malone, grinning most unmeaningly, inducted himself into the corresponding seat on the other side. She was thus blessed in a pair of supporters, neither of whom, she knew, would be of any mortal use, whether for keeping up the conversation, handing cups, circulating the muffins, or even lifting the plate from the slop-basin. Little Sweeting, small and boyish as he was, would have been worth twenty of them.
Malone, though a ceaseless talker when there were only men present, was usually tongue-tied in the presence of ladies. Three phrases, however, he had ready cut and dried, which he never failed to produce:--

Sweeting, the least embarrassed of the curates, took refuge beside Mrs. Sykes, who he knew was fond of him. Donne, after bowing and saying in a high voice, "How d'ye do, Miss Helstone?" dropped into a seat at Caroline's elbow, to her annoyance, for she had a peculiar antipathy to Donne, on account of his immovable self-conceit and narrowness of mind. Malone, grinning meaninglessly, sat on her other side. She knew neither man would be of any mortal use in keeping up the conversation, handing round cups, or even passing the muffins. Little Sweeting, small and boyish as he was, would have been worth twenty of them.
Malone, though a ceaseless talker when there were only men present, was usually tongue-tied in the presence of ladies. Three phrases, however, he had ready, which he never failed to produce:
