Among the model villagers Miss Granger had ample opportunity of offering
advice of this kind, and fondly believed that her counsel was acted upon.
Obsequious matrons, with an eye to Christmas benefactions, pretended to
profit by her wisdom; but it is doubtful whether the model infants were
allowed to suffer from a practical exposition of her Spartan theories.
Clarissa had her own ideas about the heir of the Grangers. Not a crumpled
rose-leaf--had rose-leaves been flying about just then--must roughen her
darling's bed. The softest lawn, the downiest, most delicate woollens, were
hardly good enough to wrap her treasure. She had solemn interviews with a
regiment of nurses before she could discover a woman who seemed worthy to
be guardian of this infant demigod. And Mr. Granger showed himself scarcely
less weak. It almost seemed as if this boy was his first child. He had
been a busy man when Sophia was born--too entirely occupied by the grave
considerations of commerce to enter into the details of the nursery--and
the sex of the child had been something of a disappointment to him. He
was rich enough even then to desire an heir to his wealth. During the few
remaining years of his first wife's life, he had hoped for the coming of a
son; but no son had been given to him. It was now, in his sober middle age,
that the thing he had longed for was granted to him, and it seemed all the
more precious because of the delay.
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