with her mother to call upon them, had been named to her more than once
by discriminating people as the most likely person in the neighbourhood
to prove a friend and companion to herself, and Sophia, in her present
situation, could not be at all indifferent to such a prospect. She had
already observed them in church, wondering not a little at that
scrupulous attention to ceremony which had made them ignore the
existence of the newcomers till their acquaintance should have been made
in due form.

"Mamma," said she, "this is Mrs. Bennett and her daughter."

"Something to do with an admiral, haven't they?" cried Mrs. Rexford.

It proved to be an unnecessary exertion of memory on Mrs. Rexford's part
to recollect what she had heard of the relatives of her visitors, for
not long after Mrs. Bennett had introduced herself and her daughter she
brought her uncle, the admiral, into the conversation with considerable
skill.

She was a delicate, narrow-minded woman, with no open vulgarity about
her, but simply ignorant of the fact that bragging of one's
distinguished relatives had fallen into disuse. Her daughter, was like
her in manner, with the likeness imposed by having such a mother, but
much more largely made in mind and body, pleasant-looking, healthy,
high-browed. Sophia liked her appearance.

Mrs. Rexford, her mind ever upon some practical exigency, now remembered
that she had also heard that the Bennetts managed their dairy
excellently, and, having a large craving for help on all such subjects,
she began to bewail her own ignorance, asking many and various