CHAPTER III.

edwereofakindlikelytobeusefultothefatherofsixsonsandtwodaughtersandbitterobservers—forinWessex,saytenyearsago,therewerepersonswhosebitternessmaynowseemincredible—remarkedthatthecolorofhisopinionshadchangedinconsistencywiththisprincipleofaction.Butcheerful,successfulworldlinesshasafalseairofbeingmoreselfishthantheacrid,unsuccessfulkind,whosesecrethistoryissummedupintheterriblewords,“Sold,butnotpaidfor.” Gwendolenwonderedthatshehadnotbetterrememberedhowveryfineamanherunclewasbutattheageofsixteenshewasalesscapableandmoreindifferentjudge.Atpresentitwasamatterofextremeinteresttoherthatshewastohavethenearcountenanceofadignifiedmalerelative,andthatthefamilylifewouldceasetobeentirely,insipidlyfeminine.Shedidnotintendthatheruncleshouldcontrolher,butshesawatoncethatitwouldbealtogetheragreeabletoherthatheshouldbeproudofintroducingherashisniece.Andtherewaseverysignofhisbeinglikelytofeelthatpride.Hecertainlylookedatherwithadmirationashesaid, “YouhaveoutgrownAnna,mydear,”puttinghisarmtenderlyroundhisdaughter,whoseshyfacewasatinycopyofhisown,anddrawingherforward.“Sheisnotsooldasyoubyayear,buthergrowingdaysarecertainlyover.Ihopeyouwillbeexcellentcompanions.” Hedidgiveacomparingglanceathisdaughter,butifhesawherinferiority,hemightalsoseethatAnna’stimidappearanceandminiaturefiguremustappealtoadifferenttastefromthatwhichwasattractedbyGwendolen,andthatthegirlscouldhardlyberivals.Gwendolenatleast,wasawareofthis,andkissedhercousinwithrealcordialityaswellasgrace,saying,“AcompanionisjustwhatIwant.Iamsogladwearecometolivehere.Andmammawillbemuchhappiernowsheisnearyou,aunt.” Theaunttrustedindeedthatitwouldbeso,andfeltitablessingthatasuitablehomehadbeenvacantintheiruncle’sparish.Then,ofcourse,noticehadtobetakenofthefourothergirls,whomGwendolenhadalwaysfelttobesuperfluous:allofagirlishaveragethatmadefourunitsutterlyunimportant,andyetfromherearliestdaysanobtrusiveinfluentialfactinherlife.Shewasconsciousofhavingbeenmuchkindertothemthancouldhavebeenexpected.Anditwasevidenttoherthatheruncleandauntalsofeltitapitythereweresomanygirls:—whatrationalpersoncouldfeelotherwise,exceptpoormamma,whoneverwouldseehowAlicesetuphershouldersandliftedhereyebrowstillshehadnoforeheadleft,howBerthaandFannywhisperedandtitteredtogetherabouteverything,orhowIsabelwasalwayslisteningandstaringandforgettingwhereshewas,andtreadingonthetoesofhersufferingelders? “Youhavebrothers,Anna,”saidGwendolen,whilethesisterswerebeingnoticed.“Ithinkyouareenviablethere.” “Yes,”saidAnna,simply.“Iamveryfondofthembutofcoursetheireducationisagreatanxietytopapa.Heusedtosaytheymademeatomboy.IreallywasagreatrompwithRex.IthinkyouwilllikeRex.HewillcomehomebeforeChristmas.” “IrememberIusedtothinkyouratherwildandshybutitisdifficultnowtoimagineyouaromp,”saidGwendolen,smiling. “Ofcourse,IamalterednowIamcomeout,andallthat.ButinrealityIliketogoblackberryingwithEdwyandLottaaswellasever.IamnotveryfondofgoingoutbutIdaresayIshalllikeitbetternowyouwillbeoftenwithme.Iamnotatallclever,andIneverknowwhattosay.Itseemssouselesstosaywhateverybodyknows,andIcanthinkofnothingelse,exceptwhatpapasays.” “Ishalllikegoingoutwithyouverymuch,”saidGwendolen,welldisposedtowardthisna?vecousin.“Areyoufondofriding?” “Yes,butwehaveonlyoneShetlandponyamongstus.Papasayshecan’taffordmore,besidesthecarriage-horsesandhisownnaghehassomanyexpenses.” “Iintendtohaveahorseandrideagreatdealnow,”saidGwendolen,inatoneofdecision.“Isthesocietypleasantinthisneighborhood?” “Papasaysitis,very.Therearetheclergymenallabout,youknowandtheQuallons,andtheArrowpoints,andLordBrackenshaw,andSirHugoMallinger’splace,wherethereisnobody—that’sverynice,becausewemakepicnicsthere—andtwoorthreefamiliesatWanchester:oh,andoldMrs.Vulcany,atNuttingwood,and—” ButAnnawasrelievedofthistaxonherdescriptivepowersbytheannouncementofdinner,andGwendolen’squestionwassoonindirectlyansweredbyheruncle,whodweltmuchontheadvantageshehadsecuredforthemingettingaplacelikeOffendene.Excepttherent,itinvolvednomoreexpensethananordinaryhouseatWanchesterwouldhavedone. “Anditisalwaysworthwhiletomakealittlesacrificeforagoodstyleofhouse,”saidMr.Gascoigne,inhiseasy,pleasantlyconfidenttone,whichmadetheworldingeneralseemaverymanageableplaceofresidence:“especiallywherethereisonlyaladyatthehead.Allthebestpeoplewillcalluponyouandyouneedgivenoexpensivedinners.Ofcourse,Ihavetospendagooddealinthatwayitisalargeitem.ButthenIgetmyhousefornothing.IfIhadtopaythreehundredayearformyhouseIcouldnotkeepatable.Myboysaretoogreatadrainonme.Youarebetteroffthanweare,inproportionthereisnogreatdrainonyounow,afteryourhouseandcarriage.” “Iassureyou,Fanny,nowthatthechildrenaregrowingup,Iamobligedtocutandcontrive,”saidMrs.Gascoigne.“Iamnotagoodmanagerbynature,butHenryhastaughtme.Heiswonderfulformakingthebestofeverythingheallowshimselfnoextras,andgetshiscuratesfornothing.Itisratherhardthathehasnotbeenmadeaprebendaryorsomething,asothershavebeen,consideringthefriendshehasmadeandtheneedthereisformenofmoderateopinionsinallrespects.IftheChurchistokeepitsposition,abilityandcharacteroughttotell.” “Oh,mydearNancy,youforgettheoldstory—thankHeaven,therearethreehundredasgoodasI.Andultimately,weshallhavenoreasontocomplain,Iamprettysure.TherecouldhardlybeamorethoroughfriendthanLordBrackenshaw—yourlandlord,youknow,Fanny.LadyBrackenshawwillcalluponyou.AndIhavespokenforGwendolentobeamemberofourArcheryClub—theBrackenshawArcheryClub—themostselectthinganywhere.Thatis,ifshehasnoobjection,”addedMr.Gascoigne,lookingatGwendolenwithpleasantirony. “Ishouldlikeitofallthings,”saidGwendolen.“ThereisnothingIenjoymorethantakingaim—andhitting,”sheended,withaprettynodandsmile. “OurAnna,poorchild,istooshort-sightedforarchery.ButIconsidermyselfafirst-rateshot,andyoushallpracticewithme.ImustmakeyouanaccomplishedarcherbeforeourgreatmeetinginJuly.Infact,astoneighborhood,youcouldhardlybebetterplaced.TherearetheArrowpoints—theyaresomeofourbestpeople.MissArrowpointisadelightfulgirl—shehasbeenpresentedatCourt.Theyhaveamagnificentplace—QuetchamHall—worthseeinginpointofartandtheirparties,towhichyouaresuretobeinvited,arethebestthingsofthesortwehave.Thearchdeaco