CHAPTER V

l,exceptMissPrice,”saidMissCrawford,asshewaswalkingwiththeMr.Bertrams.“Pray,issheout,orisshenot?Iampuzzled.ShedinedattheParsonage,withtherestofyou,whichseemedlikebeingoutandyetshesayssolittle,thatIcanhardlysupposesheis.” Edmund,towhomthiswaschieflyaddressed,replied,“IbelieveIknowwhatyoumean,butIwillnotundertaketoanswerthequestion.Mycousinisgrownup.Shehastheageandsenseofawoman,buttheoutsandnotoutsarebeyondme.” “Andyet,ingeneral,nothingcanbemoreeasilyascertained.Thedistinctionissobroad.Mannersaswellasappearanceare,generallyspeaking,sototallydifferent.Tillnow,Icouldnothavesupposeditpossibletobemistakenastoagirl’sbeingoutornot.Agirlnotouthasalwaysthesamesortofdress:aclosebonnet,forinstancelooksverydemure,andneversaysaword.Youmaysmile,butitisso,Iassureyouandexceptthatitissometimescarriedalittletoofar,itisallveryproper.Girlsshouldbequietandmodest.Themostobjectionablepartis,thatthealterationofmannersonbeingintroducedintocompanyisfrequentlytoosudden.Theysometimespassinsuchverylittletimefromreservetoquitetheopposite—toconfidence!Thatisthefaultypartofthepresentsystem.Onedoesnotliketoseeagirlofeighteenornineteensoimmediatelyuptoeverything—andperhapswhenonehasseenherhardlyabletospeaktheyearbefore.Mr.Bertram,Idaresayyouhavesometimesmetwithsuchchanges.” “IbelieveIhave,butthisishardlyfairIseewhatyouareat.YouarequizzingmeandMissAnderson.” “No,indeed.MissAnderson!Idonotknowwhoorwhatyoumean.Iamquiteinthedark.ButIwillquizyouwithagreatdealofpleasure,ifyouwilltellmewhatabout.” “Ah!youcarryitoffverywell,butIcannotbequitesofarimposedon.YoumusthavehadMissAndersoninyoureye,indescribinganalteredyounglady.Youpainttooaccuratelyformistake.Itwasexactlyso.TheAndersonsofBakerStreet.Wewerespeakingofthemtheotherday,youknow.Edmund,youhaveheardmementionCharlesAnderson.Thecircumstancewaspreciselyasthisladyhasrepresentedit.WhenAndersonfirstintroducedmetohisfamily,abouttwoyearsago,hissisterwasnotout,andIcouldnotgethertospeaktome.IsatthereanhouronemorningwaitingforAnderson,withonlyherandalittlegirlortwointheroom,thegovernessbeingsickorrunaway,andthemotherinandouteverymomentwithlettersofbusiness,andIcouldhardlygetawordoralookfromtheyounglady—nothinglikeacivilanswer—shescreweduphermouth,andturnedfrommewithsuchanair!Ididnotseeheragainforatwelvemonth.Shewasthenout.ImetheratMrs.Holford’s,anddidnotrecollecther.Shecameuptome,claimedmeasanacquaintance,staredmeoutofcountenanceandtalkedandlaughedtillIdidnotknowwhichwaytolook.IfeltthatImustbethejestoftheroomatthetime,andMissCrawford,itisplain,hasheardthestory.”