CHAPTER V

“Andaveryprettystoryitis,andwithmoretruthinit,Idaresay,thandoescredittoMissAnderson.Itistoocommonafault.Motherscertainlyhavenotyetgotquitetherightwayofmanagingtheirdaughters.Idonotknowwheretheerrorlies.Idonotpretendtosetpeopleright,butIdoseethattheyareoftenwrong.” “Thosewhoareshowingtheworldwhatfemalemannersshouldbe,”saidMr.Bertramgallantly,“aredoingagreatdealtosetthemright.” “Theerrorisplainenough,”saidthelesscourteousEdmund“suchgirlsareillbroughtup.Theyaregivenwrongnotionsfromthebeginning.Theyarealwaysactinguponmotivesofvanity,andthereisnomorerealmodestyintheirbehaviourbeforetheyappearinpublicthanafterwards.” “Idonotknow,”repliedMissCrawfordhesitatingly.“Yes,Icannotagreewithyouthere.Itiscertainlythemodestestpartofthebusiness.Itismuchworsetohavegirlsnotoutgivethemselvesthesameairsandtakethesamelibertiesasiftheywere,whichIhaveseendone.Thatisworsethananything—quitedisgusting!” “Yes,thatisveryinconvenientindeed,”saidMr.Bertram.“Itleadsoneastrayonedoesnotknowwhattodo.Theclosebonnetanddemureairyoudescribesowell(andnothingwaseverjuster),tellonewhatisexpectedbutIgotintoadreadfulscrapelastyearfromthewantofthem.IwentdowntoRamsgateforaweekwithafriendlastSeptember,justaftermyreturnfromtheWestIndies.MyfriendSneyd—youhaveheardmespeakofSneyd,Edmund—hisfather,andmother,andsisters,werethere,allnewtome.WhenwereachedAlbionPlacetheywereoutwewentafterthem,andfoundthemonthepier:Mrs.andthetwoMissSneyds,withothersoftheiracquaintance.ImademybowinformandasMrs.Sneydwassurroundedbymen,attachedmyselftooneofherdaughters,walkedbyhersideallthewayhome,andmademyselfasagreeableasIcouldtheyoungladyperfectlyeasyinhermanners,andasreadytotalkastolisten.IhadnotasuspicionthatIcouldbedoinganythingwrong.Theylookedjustthesame:bothwell-dressed,withveilsandparasolslikeothergirlsbutIafterwardsfoundthatIhadbeengivingallmyattentiontotheyoungest,whowasnotout,andhadmostexcessivelyoffendedtheeldest.MissAugustaoughtnottohavebeennoticedforthenextsixmonthsandMissSneyd,Ibelieve,hasneverforgivenme.” “Thatwasbadindeed.PoorMissSneyd.ThoughIhavenoyoungersister,Ifeelforher.Tobeneglectedbeforeone’stimemustbeveryvexatiousbutitwasentirelythemother’sfault.MissAugustashouldhavebeenwithhergoverness.Suchhalf-and-halfdoingsneverprosper.ButnowImustbesatisfiedaboutMissPrice.Doesshegotoballs?Doesshedineouteverywhere,aswellasatmysister’s?” “No,”repliedEdmund“Idonotthinkshehaseverbeentoaball.Mymotherseldomgoesintocompanyherself,anddinesnowherebutwithMrs.Grant,andFannystaysathomewithher.” “Oh!thenthepointisclear.MissPriceisnotout.”