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Trollope, Anthony, 1815-1882

"The Eustace Diamonds"

Everybody knew that he had
behaved badly to Lucy--everybody except Lucy herself, who, from this time
forward, altogether forgot that she had for some time looked upon him as a
traitor, and had made up her mind that she had been deceived and ill-used.
All the Fawns had spoken of him, in Lucy's absence, in the hardest terms
of reproach, and declared that he was not fit to be spoken to by any
decent person. Lady Fawn had known from the first that such a one as he
was not to be trusted. Augusta had never liked him. Amelia had feared that
poor Lucy Morris had been unwise, and too ambitious. Georgina had seen
that, of course, it would never do. Diana had sworn that it was a great
shame. Lydia was sure that Lucy was a great deal too good for him. Cecilia
had wondered where he would go to; a form of anathema which had brought
down a rebuke from her mother. And Nina had always hated him like poison.
But now nothing was too good for him. An unmarried man who is willing to
sacrifice himself is, in feminine eyes, always worthy of ribbons and a
chaplet. Among all these Fawns there was as little selfishness as can be
found, even among women.


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