CHAPTER VIII

edthesummitofalonghill,andwasnotmoreinvitingthanthis:“Hereisafineburstofcountry.Iwishyouhadmyseat,butIdaresayyouwillnottakeit,letmepressyoueversomuch”andMissCrawfordcouldhardlyanswerbeforetheyweremovingagainatagoodpace. WhentheycamewithintheinfluenceofSothertonassociations,itwasbetterforMissBertram,whomightbesaidtohavetwostringstoherbow.ShehadRushworthfeelings,andCrawfordfeelings,andinthevicinityofSothertontheformerhadconsiderableeffect.Mr.Rushworth’sconsequencewashers.ShecouldnottellMissCrawfordthat“thosewoodsbelongedtoSotherton,”shecouldnotcarelesslyobservethat“shebelievedthatitwasnowallMr.Rushworth’spropertyoneachsideoftheroad,”withoutelationofheartanditwasapleasuretoincreasewiththeirapproachtothecapitalfreeholdmansion,andancientmanorialresidenceofthefamily,withallitsrightsofcourt-leetandcourt-baron. “Nowweshallhavenomoreroughroad,MissCrawfordourdifficultiesareover.Therestofthewayissuchasitoughttobe.Mr.Rushworthhasmadeitsincehesucceededtotheestate.Herebeginsthevillage.Thosecottagesarereallyadisgrace.Thechurchspireisreckonedremarkablyhandsome.Iamgladthechurchisnotsoclosetothegreathouseasoftenhappensinoldplaces.Theannoyanceofthebellsmustbeterrible.Thereistheparsonage:atidy-lookinghouse,andIunderstandtheclergymanandhiswifeareverydecentpeople.Thosearealmshouses,builtbysomeofthefamily.Totherightisthesteward’shouseheisaveryrespectableman.Nowwearecomingtothelodge-gatesbutwehavenearlyamilethroughtheparkstill.Itisnotugly,yousee,atthisendthereissomefinetimber,butthesituationofthehouseisdreadful.Wegodownhilltoitforhalfamile,anditisapity,foritwouldnotbeanill-lookingplaceifithadabetterapproach.” MissCrawfordwasnotslowtoadmiresheprettywellguessedMissBertram’sfeelings,andmadeitapointofhonourtopromoteherenjoymenttotheutmost.Mrs.NorriswasalldelightandvolubilityandevenFannyhadsomethingtosayinadmiration,andmightbeheardwithcomplacency.Hereyewaseagerlytakingineverythingwithinherreachandafterbeingatsomepainstogetaviewofthehouse,andobservingthat“itwasasortofbuildingwhichshecouldnotlookatbutwithrespect,”sheadded,“Now,whereistheavenue?Thehousefrontstheeast,Iperceive.Theavenue,therefore,mustbeatthebackofit.Mr.Rushworthtalkedofthewestfront.” “Yes,itisexactlybehindthehousebeginsatalittledistance,andascendsforhalfamiletotheextremityofthegrounds.Youmayseesomethingofithere—somethingofthemoredistanttrees.Itisoakentirely.” MissBertramcouldnowspeakwithdecidedinformationofwhatshehadknownnothingaboutwhenMr.Rushworthhadaskedheropinionandherspiritswereinashappyaflutterasvanityandpridecouldfurnish,whentheydroveuptothespaciousstonestepsbeforetheprincipalentrance.