Elders and Betters
Language: English
Pages: 344
ISBN: 1448200938
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
The Donne family's move to the country is inspired by a wish to be close to their cousins, who are to be their nearest neighbours. It proves too close for comfort, however. For a secret switching of wills causes the most genteel pursuit of self-interest to threaten good relations and even good manners...
Ivy Compton-Burnett employs her sharp ear for comedy and celebrated powers of dialogue to spectacular effect. She reveals a devastating microcosm of human society, in which the elders are by no means always the betters, in which no character is totally scrupulous, but none without their appeal.
notions! We cannot do more than have what we would choose.” Ethel left the room, and Anna looked at her family. “Well, that is a little piece of luck.” “You will have to give them the money,” said Esmond. “Oh, Ethel would be offended to death, if I brought up the subject again.” “Jenney can give it to them,” said Reuben. “I expect they would really like to have it.” “Well, it must not come from the mistress of the house. And I think it would be better to leave the matter. It would be wiser,
eyes on Tullia. “And here it seems to belong to so many people.” “You know my aunt is a great invalid?” “Yes, Aunt Emma told me, but that is an accidental thing. We cannot think of people in terms of a chance.” Terence was silent, looking into her face. “Well, we will not talk of sad things on your friend’s first day with us,” said Sukey’s voice. “And that only means that we must not talk about me. There is nothing else sad in this house. All is happy and careless and free, and only asks for
or something.” “A house could hardly be too pretty,” said Jenney, in a tone of speaking to a child. “There is a certain sort of prettiness that I could not face.” “Indeed no,” said Claribel, seeming to shrink into herself. “But it would be as well to have it cheap,” said Jenney, in a more tentative tone. “A certain sort of cheapness!” said Claribel, bending towards her cousin. “Well, I think this avoids both,” said Anna. “I think we can settle here, without feeling either pretentious or too
ward off a blow. “You are a strong, unshrinking person, and no mistake. I feel a kind of admiration for you. But I am not equal to it. It is beyond my limit, this probing into what we dare not think of. What I dare not think of, I suppose I should say; I must not ascribe the same weakness to you. Who would have thought that you would be the tough subject, and I the squeamish one? I should have been the last person to classify us like that.” “It would have been an easy thing to do,” went on
suggesting that her own situation did not blind her to general truth. “I suppose it has been an experience to live with one who is an exception,” said Claribel, her voice not implying that it had been an especially absorbing one. “I suppose Uncle Benjamin could marry you, if he liked,” said Julius. “If Father had married Miss Lacy,” said Dora, “there would not have had to be so much change.” “Now you two have talked enough,” said Tullia. “What do you feel about the marriage of your niece to