Anne had not wanted this visit to Uppercross, to learn that a removal

from one set of people to another, though at a distance of only three

miles, will often include a total change of conversation, opinion, and

idea. She had never been staying there before, without being struck by

it, or without wishing that other Elliots could have her advantage in

seeing how unknown, or unconsidered there, were the affairs which at

Kellynch Hall were treated as of such general publicity and pervading

interest; yet, with all this experience, she believed she must now

submit to feel that another lesson, in the art of knowing our own

nothingness beyond our own circle, was become necessary for her; for

certainly, coming as she did, with a heart full of the subject which

had been completely occupying both houses in Kellynch for many weeks,

she had expected rather more curiosity and sympathy than she found in

the separate but very similar remark of Mr and Mrs Musgrove: "So, Miss

Anne, Sir Walter and your sister are gone; and what part of Bath do you

think they will settle in?" and this, without much waiting for an

answer; or in the young ladies' addition of, "I hope we shall be in

Bath in the winter; but remember, papa, if we do go, we must be in a

good situation: none of your Queen Squares for us!" or in the anxious

supplement from Mary, of--"Upon my word, I shall be pretty well off,

when you are all gone away to be happy at Bath!"

She could only resolve to avoid such self-delusion in future, and think

with heightened gratitude of the extraordinary blessing of having one

such truly sympathising friend as Lady Russell.

The Mr Musgroves had their own game to guard, and to destroy, their own

horses, dogs, and newspapers to engage them, and the females were fully

occupied in all the other common subjects of housekeeping, neighbours,

dress, dancing, and music. She acknowledged it to be very fitting,

that every little social commonwealth should dictate its own matters of

discourse; and hoped, ere long, to become a not unworthy member of the

one she was now transplanted into. With the prospect of spending at

least two months at Uppercross, it was highly incumbent on her to

clothe her imagination, her memory, and all her ideas in as much of

Uppercross as possible.

She had no dread of these two months. Mary was not so repulsive and

unsisterly as Elizabeth, nor so inaccessible to all influence of hers;

neither was there anything among the other component parts of the

cottage inimical to comfort. She was always on friendly terms with her

brother-in-law; and in the children, who loved her nearly as well, and

respected her a great deal more than their mother, she had an object of

interest, amusement, and wholesome exertion.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024