CHAPTER XXII. THE VISIT

AshbyParkwascertainlyaverydelightfulresidence.Themansionwasstatelywithout,commodiousandelegantwithintheparkwasspaciousandbeautiful,chieflyonaccountofitsmagnificentoldtrees,itsstatelyherdsofdeer,itsbroadsheetofwater,andtheancientwoodsthatstretchedbeyondit:fortherewasnobrokengroundtogivevarietytothelandscape,andbutverylittleofthatundulatingswellwhichaddssogreatlytothecharmofparkscenery.Andso,thiswastheplaceRosalieMurrayhadsolongedtocallherown,thatshemusthaveashareofit,onwhatevertermsitmightbeoffered—whateverpricewastobepaidforthetitleofmistress,andwhoeverwastobeherpartnerinthehonourandblissofsuchapossession!WellIamnotdisposedtocensurehernow. Shereceivedmeverykindlyand,thoughIwasapoorclergyman’sdaughter,agoverness,andaschoolmistress,shewelcomedmewithunaffectedpleasuretoherhomeand—whatsurprisedmerather—tooksomepainstomakemyvisitagreeable.Icouldsee,itistrue,thatsheexpectedmetobegreatlystruckwiththemagnificencethatsurroundedherand,Iconfess,Iwasratherannoyedatherevidenteffortstoreassureme,andpreventmefrombeingoverwhelmedbysomuchgrandeur—toomuchawedattheideaofencounteringherhusbandandmother-in-law,ortoomuchashamedofmyownhumbleappearance.Iwasnotashamedofitatallfor,thoughplain,Ihadtakengoodcarenottobeshabbyormean,andshouldhavebeenprettyconsiderablyatmyease,ifmycondescendinghostesshadnottakensuchmanifestpainstomakemesoand,asforthemagnificencethatsurroundedher,nothingthatmetmyeyesstruckmeoraffectedmehalfsomuchasherownalteredappearance.Whetherfromtheinfluenceoffashionabledissipation,orsomeotherevil,aspaceoflittlemorethantwelvemonthshadhadtheeffectthatmightbeexpectedfromasmanyyears,inreducingtheplumpnessofherform,thefreshnessofhercomplexion,thevivacityofhermovements,andtheexuberanceofherspirits. IwishedtoknowifshewasunhappybutIfeltitwasnotmyprovincetoinquire:Imightendeavourtowinherconfidencebut,ifshechosetoconcealhermatrimonialcaresfromme,Iwouldtroubleherwithnoobtrusivequestions.I,therefore,atfirst,confinedmyselftoafewgeneralinquiriesaboutherhealthandwelfare,andafewcommendationsonthebeautyofthepark,andofthelittlegirlthatshouldhavebeenaboy:asmalldelicateinfantofsevenoreightweeksold,whomitsmotherseemedtoregardwithnoremarkabledegreeofinterestoraffection,thoughfullasmuchasIexpectedhertoshow. Shortlyaftermyarrival,shecommissionedhermaidtoconductmetomyroomandseethatIhadeverythingIwanteditwasasmall,unpretending,butsufficientlycomfortableapartment.WhenIdescendedthence—havingdivestedmyselfofalltravellingencumbrances,andarrangedmytoiletwithdueconsiderationforthefeelingsofmyladyhostess,sheconductedmeherselftotheroomIwastooccupywhenIchosetobealone,orwhenshewasengagedwithvisitors,orobligedtobewithhermother-in-law,o