CHAPTER IX

Mr.Rushworthwasatthedoortoreceivehisfairladyandthewholepartywerewelcomedbyhimwithdueattention.Inthedrawing-roomtheyweremetwithequalcordialitybythemother,andMissBertramhadallthedistinctionwitheachthatshecouldwish.Afterthebusinessofarrivingwasover,itwasfirstnecessarytoeat,andthedoorswerethrownopentoadmitthemthroughoneortwointermediateroomsintotheappointeddining-parlour,whereacollationwaspreparedwithabundanceandelegance.Muchwassaid,andmuchwasate,andallwentwell.Theparticularobjectofthedaywasthenconsidered.HowwouldMr.Crawfordlike,inwhatmannerwouldhechuse,totakeasurveyofthegrounds?Mr.Rushworthmentionedhiscurricle.Mr.Crawfordsuggestedthegreaterdesirablenessofsomecarriagewhichmightconveymorethantwo.“Tobedeprivingthemselvesoftheadvantageofothereyesandotherjudgments,mightbeanevilevenbeyondthelossofpresentpleasure.” Mrs.Rushworthproposedthatthechaiseshouldbetakenalsobutthiswasscarcelyreceivedasanamendment:theyoungladiesneithersmilednorspoke.Hernextproposition,ofshewingthehousetosuchofthemashadnotbeentherebefore,wasmoreacceptable,forMissBertramwaspleasedtohaveitssizedisplayed,andallweregladtobedoingsomething. Thewholepartyroseaccordingly,andunderMrs.Rushworth’sguidancewereshewnthroughanumberofrooms,alllofty,andmanylarge,andamplyfurnishedinthetasteoffiftyyearsback,withshiningfloors,solidmahogany,richdamask,marble,gilding,andcarving,eachhandsomeinitsway.Ofpicturestherewereabundance,andsomefewgood,butthelargerpartwerefamilyportraits,nolongeranythingtoanybodybutMrs.Rushworth,whohadbeenatgreatpainstolearnallthatthehousekeepercouldteach,andwasnowalmostequallywellqualifiedtoshewthehouse.OnthepresentoccasionsheaddressedherselfchieflytoMissCrawfordandFanny,buttherewasnocomparisoninthewillingnessoftheirattentionforMissCrawford,whohadseenscoresofgreathouses,andcaredfornoneofthem,hadonlytheappearanceofcivillylistening,whileFanny,towhomeverythingwasalmostasinterestingasitwasnew,attendedwithunaffectedearnestnesstoallthatMrs.Rushworthcouldrelateofthefamilyinformertimes,itsriseandgrandeur,regalvisitsandloyalefforts,delightedtoconnectanythingwithhistoryalreadyknown,orwarmherimaginationwithscenesofthepast. ThesituationofthehouseexcludedthepossibilityofmuchprospectfromanyoftheroomsandwhileFannyandsomeoftheotherswereattendingMrs.Rushworth,HenryCrawfordwaslookinggraveandshakinghisheadatthewindows.Everyroomonthewestfrontlookedacrossalawntothebeginningoftheavenueimmediatelybeyondtallironpalisadesandgates. Havingvisitedmanymoreroomsthancouldbesupposedtobeofanyotherusethantocontributetothewindow-tax,andfindemploymentforhousemaids,“Now,”saidMrs.Rushworth,“wearecomingtothechapel,whichproperlyweoughttoenterfromabove,andlookdownuponbutaswearequiteamongfriends,Iwilltakeyouinthisway,ifyouwillexcuseme.” Theyentered.Fanny’simaginationhadpreparedherforsomethinggranderthanamerespacious,oblongroom,fittedupforthepurposeofdevotion:withnothingmorestrikingormoresolemnthantheprofusionofmahogany,andthecrimsonvelvetcushionsappearingovertheledgeofthefamilygalleryabove.“Iamdisappointed,”saidshe,inalowvoice,toEdmund.“Thisisnotmyideaofachapel.Thereisnothingawfulhere,nothingmelancholy,nothinggrand.Herearenoaisles,noarches,noinscriptions,nobanners.Nobanners,cousin,tobe‘blownbythenightwindofheaven.’Nosignsthata‘Scottishmonarchsleepsbelow.’” “Youforget,Fanny,howlatelyallthishasbeenbuilt,andforhowconfinedapurpose,comparedwiththeoldchapelsofcastlesandmonasteries.Itwasonlyfortheprivateuseofthefamily.Theyhavebeenburied,Isuppose,intheparishchurch.Thereyoumustlookforthebannersandtheachievements.” “ItwasfoolishofmenottothinkofallthatbutIamdisappointed.” Mrs.Rushworthbeganherrelation.“Thischapelwasfittedupasyouseeit,inJamestheSecond’stime.Beforethatperiod,asIunderstand,thepewswereonlywainscotandthereissomereasontothinkthattheliningsandcushionsofthepulpitandfamilyseatwereonlypurpleclothbutthisisnotquitecertain.Itisahandsomechapel,andwasformerlyinconstantusebothmorningandevening.Prayerswerealwaysreadinitbythedomesticchaplain,withinthememoryofmanybutthelateMr.Rushworthleftitoff.” “Everygenerationhasitsimprovements,”saidMissCrawford,withasmile,toEdmund. Mrs.RushworthwasgonetorepeatherlessontoMr.Cra