After a sufficient time for procuring all the necessary paraphernalia
considered indispensable on such occasions had elapsed, the marriage was
celebrated in the Cathedral at Madras, and the ambitious views of the
mercenary woman were at length realized. "She could" she thought "play
the great lady in Pallamcotta, and somewhat astonish the good folks at
the Capital by the brilliancy of her entertainments periodically, for
Sir Lexicon, although self-indulgent, was by no means of a miserly turn,
and would, for a time at least, feel a certain pleasure at the
admiration that would be excited by the splendour of her ladyship's
assemblies."
Their stay at the Capital, on this occasion, was but of short duration,
as Sir Lexicon was anxious to return to Pallamcotta to finally arrange
the business that had taken him to Hamburg. To this arrangement her
ladyship made no objection, it suited her views exactly; her idea was,
that her advent in India should become known to the gay and fashionable
butterflies of the Presidency as quietly and gradually as might be. It
was necessary that they should be aware there was such a person as Lady
Chutny in existence; but for the present she would be heard of only and
not seen, so that when she appeared among them and threw open her
splendid rooms for balls and other entertainments it would be considered
a matter of course, a thing to be expected from the wife of so wealthy a
man as Sir Lexicon was reputed to be.
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