CHAPTER VII. HORTON LODGE

ywassoextremelysolicitousforthecomfortandhappinessofherchildren,andcontinuallytalkingaboutit,sheneveroncementionedminethoughtheywereathome,surroundedbyfriends,andIanalienamongstrangersandIdidnotyetknowenoughoftheworld,nottobeconsiderablysurprisedatthisanomaly. MissMurray,otherwiseRosalie,wasaboutsixteenwhenIcame,anddecidedlyaveryprettygirlandintwoyearslonger,astimemorecompletelydevelopedherformandaddedgracetohercarriageanddeportment,shebecamepositivelybeautifulandthatinnocommondegree.Shewastallandslender,yetnotthinperfectlyformed,exquisitelyfair,thoughnotwithoutabrilliant,healthybloomherhair,whichsheworeinaprofusionoflongringlets,wasofaverylightbrownincliningtoyellowhereyeswerepaleblue,butsoclearandbrightthatfewwouldwishthemdarkertherestofherfeaturesweresmall,notquiteregular,andnotremarkablyotherwise:butaltogetheryoucouldnothesitatetopronounceheraverylovelygirl.IwishIcouldsayasmuchformindanddispositionasIcanforherformandface. YetthinknotIhaveanydreadfuldisclosurestomake:shewaslively,light-hearted,andcouldbeveryagreeable,withthosewhodidnotcrossherwill.Towardsme,whenIfirstcame,shewascoldandhaughty,theninsolentandoverbearingbut,onafurtheracquaintance,shegraduallylaidasideherairs,andintimebecameasdeeplyattachedtomeasitwaspossibleforhertobetooneofmycharacterandposition:forsheseldomlostsight,forabovehalfanhouratatime,ofthefactofmybeingahirelingandapoorcurate’sdaughter.Andyet,uponthewhole,IbelievesherespectedmemorethansheherselfwasawareofbecauseIwastheonlypersoninthehousewhosteadilyprofessedgoodprinciples,habituallyspokethetruth,andgenerallyendeavouredtomakeinclinationbowtodutyandthisIsay,not,ofcourse,incommendationofmyself,buttoshowtheunfortunatestateofthefamilytowhichmyserviceswere,forthepresent,devoted.TherewasnomemberofitinwhomIregrettedthissadwantofprinciplesomuchasMissMurrayherselfnotonlybecauseshehadtakenafancytome,butbecausetherewassomuchofwhatwaspleasantandprepossessinginherself,that,inspiteofherfailings,Ireallylikedher—whenshedidnotrousemyindignation,orrufflemytemperbytoogreatadisplayofherfaults.These,however,Iwouldfainpersuademyselfwererathertheeffectofhereducationthanherdisposition:shehadneverbeenperfectlytaughtthedistinctionbetweenrightandwrongshehad,likeherbrothersandsisters,beensuffered,frominfancy,totyrannizeovernurses,governesses,andservantsshehadnotbeentaughttomoderateherdesires,tocontrolhertemperorbridleherwill,ortosacrificeherownpleasureforthegoodofothers.Hertemperbeingnaturallygood,shewasneverviolentormorose,butfromconstantindulgence,andhabitualscornofreason,shewasoftentestyandcapricioushermindhadneverbeencultivated:herintellect,atbest,wassomewhatshallowshepossessedconsiderablevivacity,somequicknessofperception,andsometalentformusicandtheacquisitionoflanguages,buttillfifteenshehadtroubledherselftoacquirenothing—thentheloveofdisplayhadrousedherfaculties,andinducedhertoapplyherself,butonlytothemoreshowyaccomplishments.AndwhenIcameitwasthesame:everythingwasneglectedbutFrench,German,music,singing,dancing,fancy-work,andalittledrawing—suchdrawingasmightproducethegreatestshowwiththesmallestlabour,andtheprincipalpartsofwhichweregenerallydonebyme.Formusicandsinging,besidesmyoccasionalinstructions,shehadtheattendanceofthebestmasterthecountryaffordedandintheseaccomplishments,aswellasindancing,shecertainlyattainedgreatproficiency.Tomusic,indeed,shedevotedtoomuchofhertime,as,governessthoughIwas,Ifrequentlytoldherbuthermotherthoughtthatifshelikedit,shecouldnotgivetoomuchtimetotheacquisitionofsoattractiveanart.Offancy-workIknewnothingbutwhatIgatheredfrommypupilandmyownobservationbutnosoonerwasIinitiated,thanshemademeusefulintwentydifferentways:allthetediouspartsofherworkwereshiftedontomyshoulderssuchasstretchingtheframes,stitchinginthecanvas,sortingthewoolsandsilks,puttinginthegrounds,countingthestitches,rectifyingmistakes,andfinishingthepiecesshewastiredof. Atsixteen,MissMurraywassomethingofaromp,yetnotmoresothanisnaturalandallowableforagirlofthatage,butatseventeen,thatpropensity,likeallotherthings,begantogivewaytotherulingpassion,andsoonwasswallowedupintheall-absorbingambitiontoattractanddazzletheothersex.Butenoughofher:nowletusturntohersister. MissMatildaMurraywasaveritablehoyden,ofwhomlittleneedbesaid.Shewasabouttwoyearsandahalfyoungerthanhersisterherfeatureswerelarger,hercomplexionmuchdarker.Shemightpossiblymakeahandsomewomanbutshewasfartoobig-bonedandawkwardevertobecalledaprettygirl,andatpresentshecaredlittleaboutit.Rosalieknewallhercharms,andthoughtthemevengreaterthantheywere,andvaluedthemmorehighlythansheoughttohavedone,hadtheybeenthreetimesasgreatMatildathoughtshewaswellenough,butcaredlittleaboutthematterstilllessdidshecareaboutthecultivationofhermind,andtheacquisitionofornamentalaccomplishments.Themannerinwhichshelearntherlessonsandpractisedhermusicwascalculatedtodriveanygovernesstodespair.Shortandeasyashertaskswere,ifdoneatall,theywereslurredover,atanytimeandinanywaybutgenerallyattheleastconvenienttimes,andinthewayleastbeneficialtoherself,andleastsatisfactorytome:theshorthalf-hourofpractisingwashorriblystrummedthroughshe,meantime,unsparinglyabusingme,eitherforinterruptingherwithcorrections,orfornotrectifyinghermistakesbeforetheyweremade,orsomethingequallyunreasonable.Onceortwice,Iventuredtor