Mrs. Mack, on the contrary, had a fat and genial soul of her
own, and Magnolia was by no means a particularly ungenerous rival in the
lists of love. But Aunt Rebecca was hoitytoity upon the Macnamaras, whom
she would never consent to more than half-know, seeing them with
difficulty, often failing to see them altogether--though Magnolia's
stature and activity did not always render that easy. To-day, for
instance, when the firing was brisk, and some of the ladies uttered
pretty little timid squalls, Miss Magnolia not only stood fire like
brick, but with her own fair hands cracked off a firelock, and was more
complimented and applauded than all the marksmen beside, although she
shot most dangerously wide, and was much nearer hitting old Arthur Slowe
than that respectable gentleman, who waved his hat and smirked
gallantly, was at all aware. Aunt Rebecca, notwithstanding all this, and
although she looked straight at her from a distance of only ten steps,
yet she could not see that large and highly-coloured heroine; and
Magnolia was so incensed at her serene impertinence that when Gertrude
afterwards smiled and courtesied twice, she only held her head the
higher and flung a flashing defiance from her fine eyes right at that
unoffending virgin.
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