CHAPTERXXXII
AGREATBALL
Acertaingreatball，givenyearlyatDunholmCastle，wasoneofthemostnotablesocialfeaturesofthecounty。Ittookplacewhenthehousewasfullofitsmostinterestinglydistinguishedguests，and，thoughotherballsmightbegivenatothertimes，thisonewasmarkedbyadegreeofgreaterstate。
Onseveraloccasionsthechiefguestshadbeengreatpersonagesindeed，andtobebiddentomeetthemimpliedaselectionflatteringinitself。One’sinvitationmustconveybyinferencethatonewaseitherbrilliant，beautiful，oradmirable，ifnotimportant。
NigelAnstruthershadneverappearedatwhattheuninvitedwerewont，withderisivesmiles，tocallTheGreatPanjandrumFunction——whichwasanironicdesignationnotemployedbysuchpersonsasreceivedcardsbiddingthemtothefestivity。StornhamCourtwasnotpopularinthecounty；