"As she heard the brougham draw up in the wet street before the door Mrs. Warren allowed her book to fall closed upon her lap, and her attractive face awakened to an expression of agreeable expectation, in itself denoting the existence of interesting and desirable qualities in the husband at the moment inserting his latchkey in the front door preparatory to mounting the stairs and joining her. The man who after twenty five years of marriage can call, by his return to her side, this expression to the countenance of an intelligent woman is, without question or argument, an individual whose life and occupations are as interesting as his character and points of view."
From The Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Should you have watched last night's dire television adaptation (and see Elaine's post on it here), please don't let that put you off the book.
I wonder what Mr C will make of Blandings, as he's such a fan. I've seen the first episode and it's a very fine pig!
I didn't hate Marchioness, but they made it so terribly bland. Was not a good sign that they couldn't trust the audience to cope with the name!
Posted by: Mary | 17 December 2012 at 01:10 PM
Indeed!
Posted by: Cornflower | 17 December 2012 at 04:26 PM
I recorded this but will now just delete it without watching. Thanks for the warning.
Posted by: Claire | 17 December 2012 at 08:10 PM
I didn't watch the programme, but have been sitting here today reading the book, which is excellent so far. Just finished the first section, and can understand why Elaine said Joanna Lumley was miscast... cannot for the life of me imagine her as Lady Maria.
Posted by: Christine Harding | 18 December 2012 at 04:01 PM
I read it more than ten years ago and I remember enjoying it very much indeed. The programme had me thinking I was confusing it with another book, so ridiculous was its treatment.
Posted by: Cornflower | 18 December 2012 at 04:40 PM
We watched it right to the end but that was because we were transfixed by its awfulness!
Posted by: Cornflower | 18 December 2012 at 04:41 PM
I noticed that Emily's wedding dress was on display in the Persephone shop window this afternoon. I wonder what they made of it?
Posted by: Mary | 19 December 2012 at 02:30 AM