CHAPTER VI

nd,unluckily,itisoutofdistanceforaride.Iwishwecouldcontriveit.” “Oh!itdoesnotsignify.WheneverIdoseeit,youwilltellmehowithasbeenaltered.” “Icollect,”saidMissCrawford,“thatSothertonisanoldplace,andaplaceofsomegrandeur.Inanyparticularstyleofbuilding?” “ThehousewasbuiltinElizabeth’stime,andisalarge,regular,brickbuildingheavy,butrespectablelooking,andhasmanygoodrooms.Itisillplaced.Itstandsinoneofthelowestspotsoftheparkinthatrespect,unfavourableforimprovement.Butthewoodsarefine,andthereisastream,which,Idaresay,mightbemadeagooddealof.Mr.Rushworthisquiteright,Ithink,inmeaningtogiveitamoderndress,andIhavenodoubtthatitwillbealldoneextremelywell.” MissCrawfordlistenedwithsubmission,andsaidtoherself,“Heisawell-bredmanhemakesthebestofit.” “IdonotwishtoinfluenceMr.Rushworth,”hecontinued“but,hadIaplacetonewfashion,Ishouldnotputmyselfintothehandsofanimprover.Iwouldratherhaveaninferiordegreeofbeauty,ofmyownchoice,andacquiredprogressively.Iwouldratherabidebymyownblundersthanbyhis.” “Youwouldknowwhatyouwereabout,ofcoursebutthatwouldnotsuitme.Ihavenoeyeoringenuityforsuchmatters,butastheyarebeforemeandhadIaplaceofmyowninthecountry,IshouldbemostthankfultoanyMr.Reptonwhowouldundertakeit,andgivemeasmuchbeautyashecouldformymoneyandIshouldneverlookatittillitwascomplete.” “Itwouldbedelightfultometoseetheprogressofitall,”saidFanny. “Ay,youhavebeenbroughtuptoit.ItwasnopartofmyeducationandtheonlydoseIeverhad,beingadministeredbynotthefirstfavouriteintheworld,hasmademeconsiderimprovementsinhandasthegreatestofnuisances.ThreeyearsagotheAdmiral,myhonoureduncle,boughtacottageatTwickenhamforusalltospendoursummersinandmyauntandIwentdowntoitquiteinrapturesbutitbeingexcessivelypretty,itwassoonfoundnecessarytobeimproved,andforthreemonthswewerealldirtandconfusion,withoutagravelwalktostepon,orabenchfitforuse.Iwouldhaveeverythingascompleteaspossibleinthecountry,shrubberiesandflower-gardens,andrusticseatsinnumerable:butitmustallbedonewithoutmycare.Henryisdifferenthelovestobedoing.” EdmundwassorrytohearMissCrawford,whomhewasmuchdisposedtoadmire,speaksofreelyofheruncle.Itdidnotsuithissenseofpropriety,andhewassilenced,tillinducedbyfurthersmilesandlivelinesstoputthematterbyforthepresent. “Mr.Bertram,”saidshe,“Ihavetidingsofmyharpatlast.IamassuredthatitissafeatNorthamptonandthereithasprobablybeenthesetendays,inspiteofthesolemnassuranceswehavesooftenreceivedtothecontrary.”Edmundexpressedhispleasureandsurprise.“Thetruthis,thatourinquiriesweretoodirectwesentaservant,wewentourselves:thiswillnotdoseventymilesfromLondonbutthismorningweheardofitintherightway.Itwasseenbysomefarmer,andhetoldthemiller,andthemillertoldthebutcher,andthebutcher’sson-in-lawleftwordattheshop.” “Iamverygladthatyouhaveheardofit,bywhatevermeans,andhopetherewillbenofurtherdelay.” “Iamtohaveitto-morrowbuthowdoyouthinkitistobeconveyed?Notbyawagonorcart:ohno!nothingofthatkindcouldbehiredinthevillage.Imightaswellhaveaskedforportersandahandbarrow.” “Youwouldfinditdifficult,Idaresay,justnow,inthemiddleofaverylatehayharvest,tohireahorseandcart?” “Iwasastonishedtofindwhatapieceofworkwasmadeofit!Towantahorseandcartinthecountryseemedimpossible,soItoldmymaidtospeakforonedirectlyandasIcannotlookoutofmydressing-closetwithoutseeingonefarmyard,norwalkintheshrubberywithoutpassinganother,Ithoughtitwouldbeonlyaskandhave,andwasrathergrievedthatIcouldnotgivetheadvantagetoall.Guessmysurprise