Arabella Quotes

“Mr. Beaumaris, who had picked Ulysses up, paid no heed to all these attempts at self-justification, but addressed himself to his adorer. "What a fool you are!" he observed. "No, I have the greatest dislike of having my face licked, and must request you to refrain. Quiet, Ulysses! quiet! I am grateful to you for your solicitude, but you must perceive that I am in the enjoyment of my customary good health. I would I could say the same of you. You have once more reduced yourself to skin and bone, my friend, a process which I shall take leave to inform you I consider as unjust as it is ridiculous. Anyone setting eyes on you would suppose that I grudged you even the scraps from my table!" He added, without the slightest change of voice, and without raising his eyes from the creature in his arms. "You would also appear to have bereft my household of its sense, so that the greater part of it, instead of providing me with the breakfast I stand in need of, is engaged in excusing itself from any suspicion of blame and - I may add - doing itself no good thereby.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“How very awkward places we do choose in which to propose to one another!' remarked Mr. Beaumaris.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“Have you any brothers?" demanded Mr. Beaumaris.

"No," said Mr. Scunthorpe, blinking at him. "Only child."

"You relieve my mind. Offer my congratulations to your parents!”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“My dearest goose, why didn't you trust me, when I assured you that you might?' he countered. 'I have cherished throughout the believe that you would confide in me, and you see I was quite right.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“She contrived, without precisely making so vulgar a boast, to convey the impression that she was escaping from courtships so persistent as to amount to persecution; and Mr Beaumaris, listening with intense pleasure , said that London was the very place for anyone desirous of escaping attention.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“Well, damn it, I think that prosy fool Bridlington was right for once in his life! You've gone stark, staring mad!"
"Very true! I've known it for this half hour and more.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“You look very well – at least, you would if you didn’t make such a figure of yourself in that rig! When I was a girl, no gentleman would have dreamed of paying a social call without powder, let me tell you! Enough to make your grandfather turn in his grave to see what you’ve all come to, with your skimpy coats, and your starched collars, and not a bit of lace to your neckcloth, or your wristbands! If you can sit down in those skin-tight breeches, or pantaloons, or whatever you call ’em, do so!”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“It is customary, you know, to exchange polite conversation during the dance. I have now addressed no fewer than three unexceptionable remarks to you without winning one answer!”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“Sophia, with real nobility of character, then asked Papa to explain something she had read in Sir John Malcolm's History of Persia, which the Vicar, whose only personal extravagance was his purchase of books, had lately added to his library.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“He soon discovered that what Arabella lacked in inches she more than made up for in spirit. She tore his character to shreds and warned him of his ultimate fate”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“Have you considered what people would be bound to say?’ Frederick said.

‘No, nor do I propose to burden my head with anything that interests me so little!’ retorted Mr Beaumaris.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“He said gently: “I am not, I hope, such a coxcomb as to distress you by repeated solicitations, Miss Tallant, but you may believe that I am still of the same mind as I was when I made you an offer. If your sentiments should undergo a change, one word-one look!—would be sufficient to apprise me of it.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“Ulysses, stop scratching! Do try to be a little more worthy of me!”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“None of his new friends seemed to allow pecuniary considerations to trouble them, and since they all appeared to be constantly on the brink of ruin, and yet contrived, by some fortunate bet, or throw of the dice, to come about again, he began to fall insensibly into the same way of life, and to think that it was rustic to treat a temporary insolvency as more than a matter for jest. It did not occur to him that the tradesmen who apparently gave Wivenhoe and Scunthorpe unlimited credit would not extend the same consideration to a young man whose circumstances were unknown to them.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“The little Tallant valued his compliments not at all. Instead of being thrown into a flutter by the attentions of the biggest matrimonial prize in London, she plainly considered herself to be taking part in an agreeable game. If he flirted with her, she would generally respond in kind, but with so much the manner of one willing to indulge him that the hunter woke in him, and he was quite as much piqued as amused. He began to toy with the notion of making her fall in love with him in good earnest, just to teach her that the Nonpareil was not to be so treated with impunity.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“Nothing he wore was designed to attract attention, but he made every other man in the room look either a trifle overdressed or a trifle shabby.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“And although she did, when shown the impropriety of her behaviour, say she was sorry to have made a scene in public, it was evident that she was not in the least penitent.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“Once, when she was apparently not in the humour for gallantry, she actually had the effrontery to cut him short, saying: ‘Oh, never mind that! Who was that odd-looking man who waved to you just now? Why does he walk in that ridiculous way, and screw up his mouth so? Is he in pain?’
He was taken aback, for really he had paid her a compliment calculated to cast her into exquisite confusion. His lips twitched, for he had as few illusions about himself as had, to all appearances the lady beside him. ‘That,’ he replied, ‘is Golden Ball, Miss Tallant, one of our dandies, as no doubt you have been told. He is not in pain. That walk denotes his consequence.’
‘Good gracious! He looks as though he went upon stilts! Why does he think himself of such consequence?”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“When I wasn’t trying to swallow something that no one is ever going to make me believe wasn’t drained off from the kennels, I was sitting watching your aunt knot a fringe in the most uncomfortable hole of a lodging I’ve been in yet! Why, I had to take all my own bed-linen with me!’

‘You always do, ma’am,’ said Mr Beaumaris, who had several times been privileged to see the start of one of the Duchess’s impressive journeys. ‘Also your own plate, your favourite chair, your steward, your –’

‘I don’t want any of your impudence, Robert!’ interrupted her grace. ‘I don’t always *have* to take ’em!”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“He will be company for you, you know. I wonder you do not have a dog already.’

‘I do – in the country,’ he replied.

‘Oh, sporting dogs! They are not at all the same.’ Mr Beaumaris, after another look at his prospective companion, found himself able to agree with this remark with heartfelt sincerity.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“Do you know,’ she said slowly, ‘I have just thought – Mr Beaumaris, something tells me that Lady Bridlington may not like this dear little dog!’ Mr Beaumaris waited in patient resignation for his certain fate to descend upon him.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“thought. Lady Bridlington gives an”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“must have been shockingly bored!’ ‘Nothing of the sort! The man who could be bored in the midst of such a lively family as yours must be an insufferable fellow, above being pleased by anything. By the by, if that uncle of yours does”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“Mrs Tallant crushed these budding hopes. ‘Full dress, to be sure, my dear: satin, I daresay. Feathers, of course. I do not know if hoops are still worn at Court. Lady Bridlington is to make your sister a present of the dress, and I know I may depend upon her to choose just what is right. Come, my dears! If we are to call upon your uncle on our way home it is high time we were off!”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“found little to say beyond the merest commonplace throughout supper, but this silence passed unnoticed in the spate of Lord Bridlington’s”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“He found Miss Tallant, her disinterested”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“drive him to Great Russell Street.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“hopeless gloom.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“She said impatiently. ‘It is of no use for us to argue on that head. Where is Bertram?’ ‘Don’t think you’d know the place, ma’am. It’s – it’s near Westminster!”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella

“without question. One of the older men said something under his breath about babes and sucklings, but not loudly enough to be overheard. Mr Beaumaris glanced round the table. ‘Stakes, gentlemen,’ he said calmly. Bertram, who had changed his bill for one modest rouleau, thrust it in a quick movement towards the queen in the livrat. Other men were placing their bets; someone said something which made his neighbour laugh; Lord Petersham sighed deeply, and deliberately pushed forward several large rouleaus, and ranged them about his chosen cards; then he drew a delicately enamelled snuff-box from his pocket, and helped himself to a pinch of his latest blend. A pulse was beating so hard in Bertram’s throat that it almost hurt him; he swallowed, and fixed his eyes on Mr Beaumaris’s hand, poised above the pack before him. The boy has been having some deep doings, thought Mr Beaumaris. Shouldn’t wonder if he’s rolled-up! What the devil possessed Chuffy Wivenhoe to bring him here? The bets were all placed; Mr Beaumaris turned up the first card, and placed it to the right of the pack. ‘Scorched again!’ remarked Fleetwood, one of whose bets stood by the card’s counterpart. Mr Beaumaris turned up the Carte Anglaise, and laid it down to the left of the pack. The Queen of Diamonds danced before Bertram’s eyes. For a dizzy moment he could only stare at the card; then he looked up, and met Mr Beaumaris’s cool gaze, and smiled waveringly. That smile told Mr Beaumaris quite as much as he had need to know, and did nothing to increase his enjoyment of the evening ahead of him. He picked up the rake beside him, and pushed two twenty-guinea rouleaus across the table. Lord Wivenhoe called for wine for himself and his friend, and settled down to plunge with his usual recklessness.”
― Georgette Heyer, Arabella