46 THE SMUGGLER. 



obesity, which is generally an indication of bad health. His 

 dress, though scrupulously clean and in the best fashion of the 

 time, fitted him ill, being too large even for his large person ; 

 and the setting of the diamond ring which he wore upon his 

 hand was scarcely more yellow than the hand itself. On his 

 face he bore a look of habitual thought and care, approaching 

 moroseness, which even the smile he assumed on Sir Edward's 

 appearance could not altogether dissipate. In his tone, how- 

 ever, he was courtly and kind, though perhaps a little pompous. 

 He expressed his delight at seeing his old friend's sou in Har- 

 bourne House, shook him warmly by the hand, and then led him 

 ceremoniously forward to introduce him to his sister, Mrs. 

 Barbara Croyland, and his two daughters. 



The former lady might very well have had applied to her 

 Fielding's inimitable description of the old maid. Her appear- 

 ance was very similar, her station and occupation much the 

 same; but nevertheless, in all essential points, Mrs. Barbara 

 Croyland was a very different person from the sister of Squire 

 Allworthy. She was a kind-hearted soul as ever existed; 

 gentle in her nature, anxious to do the very best for every- 

 body, a little given to policy for the purpose of accomplishing 

 that end, and consequently, nine times out of ten, making folks 

 very uncomfortable in order to make them comfortable, and 

 doing all manner of mischief for the purpose of setting things 

 right. No woman ever had a more perfect abnegation of self 

 than Mrs. Barbara Croyland, in all things of great importance. 

 She had twice missed a very good opportunity of marriage, by 

 making up a match between one who was quite ready to be 

 her own lover, and one of her female friends for whom he 

 cared very little. She had lent the whole of her own private 

 fortune, except a small annuity, which by some chance had 

 been settled upon her, to her brother Sir Robert, without 

 taking any security whatsoever for principal or interest ; and 

 she was always ready when there was anything in her purse 

 to give it away to the worthy or unworthy; rather, indeed, 

 preferring the latter, from a conviction that they were more 

 likely to be destitute of friends than those who had some 

 claim upon society. 



Nevertheless Mrs. Barbara Croyland was not altogether 

 without that small sort of selfishness which is usually termed 

 vanity. She was occasionally a little affronted and indignant 



