Proximity

Chapter V
Lady Carbury accuses Hetta Carbury of spending the whole evening talking to Paul Montague. Hetta responds: “‘I could not tell him [Paul] not to speak to me.’. . . ‘If you did not want me to speak to Paul you should not have taken me there’” (44-45). #Proximity #Seduction

Chapter IX
Fisker tells Paul that since Paul has been in Melmotte ’s house, then “the thing’s about as good as done” (70). Paul says “‘But I didn’t even speak to him;’” and Fisker responds, “‘In commercial affairs that matters nothing. It quite justifies you introducing me” (70). #Proximity

Chapter XV
“In the course of the evening there came a note, -- or rather a bundle of notes, -- from Caversham. That addressed to Roger was in the form of a letter. Lady Pomona was sorry to say that the Longestaffe party were prevented from having the pleasure of dining at Carbury Hall by the fact that they had a house full of guests. Lady Pomona hoped that Mr. Carbury and his relatives, who, Lady Pomona heard, were with him at the Hall, would do the Longestaffes the pleasure of dining at Caversham either on the Monday or Tuesday following, as might best suit the Carbury plans. That was the purport of Lady Pomona ’s letter to Roger Carbury. Then there were cards of invitation for Lady Carbury and her daughter, and also for Sir Felix. Roger, as he read his own note, handed the others over to Lady Carbury , and then asked her what she would wish to have done” (127). #Letters#Proximity

“A quarter of an hour later the Caversham servant was on his way home with two letters, -- the one from Roger expressing his regret that he could not accept Lady Pomona ’s invitation, and the other from Lady Carbury declaring that she and her son and daughter would have great pleasure in dining at Caversham on the Monday” (128). #Proximity #Dishonesty

Chapter XVI
Father John Barham : “When banished from the house he had still striven to achieve the conversion of other sisters by his letters, and was now absolutely an alien from his father’s heart and care” (133). #Proximity #Letters

Chapter XVIII
“Miss Ruby Ruggles, the granddaughter of old Daniel Ruggles, of Sheep’s Acre, in the parish of Sheepstone, close to Bungay, received the following letter from the hands of the rural post letter-carrier on that Sunday morning; -- ‘A friend will be somewhere near Sheepstone Birches between four and five o’clock on Sunday afternoon.’ There was not another word in the letter, but Miss Ruby Ruggles knew well from whom it came” (149). #Letters #Seduction #Proximity

Chapter XXI
Mr. Longestaffe to Georgiana : “‘You had better write to Lady Monogram and say you can’t keep your engagement’” (171). #Letters #Proximity After Mr. Longestaffe read Georgiana’ s letter: “On the following morning, when there could have been no intercourse with London by letter, Lady Pomona called her younger daughter to her, and handed her an note to read. ‘Your papa has this moment given it me. Of course you must judge for yourself.’ This was the note; --

‘My Dear Mr. Longestaffe ,

‘As you seem determined not to return to London this season, perhaps one of your young ladies would like to come to us. Mrs. Melmotte would be delighted to have Miss Georgiana for June and July. If so, she need only give Mrs. Melmotte a day’s notice

‘Yours Truly,

‘Augustus Melmotte ’” (177). #Letters #Proximity

After Georgiana agrees to stay with the Melmottes, “Lady Pomona informed Mr. Longestaffe that Mr. Melmotte’s invitation was to be accepted. She herself would write a line to Madame Melmotte, and Georgiana would go up on the Friday following” (178). #Letters #Proximity

Chapter XXV
“‘Dearest, Dearest Felix ,

‘I have just got your note; -- such a scrap! Of course papa would talk about money because he never thinks of anything else. I don’t know anything about money, and I don’t care in the least how much you have got. Papa has got plenty, and I think he would give us some if we were once married. I have told mamma, but mamma is always afraid of everything. Papa is very cross to her sometimes; -- more so than to me. I will try to tell him, though I can’t always get at him. I very often hardly see him all day long. But I don’t mean to be afraid of him, and will tell him that on my word and honour I will never marry any one except you. I don’t think he will beat me, but if he does, I’ll bear it, -- for your sake. He does beat mamma sometimes, I know.

‘You can write to me quite safely through Didon. I think if you would call some day and give her something, it would help, as she is very fond of money. Do write and tell me that you love me. I love you better than anything in the world, and I will never, -- never give you up. I suppose you can come and call, -- unless papa tells the man in the hall not to let you in. I’ll find that out from Didon, but I can’t do it before sending this letter. Papa dined out yesterday somewhere with that Lord Alfred, so I haven’t seen him since you were here. I never see him before he goes into the city in the morning. Now I am going downstairs to breakfast with mamma and that Miss Longestaffe. She is a stuck-up thing. Didn’t you think so at Caversham?

‘Good-bye. You are my own, own, own darling Felix.

‘An I am you own, own affectionate ladylove,

‘Marie .’” (205). #Letters #Seduction #Possibility of Exposure #Proximity