CHAPTER V.

關燈
ackseatwithHenriettaandLouisaandIthinkitverylikelythatmyillnessto-daymaybeowingtoit.” AlittlefurtherperseveranceinpatienceandforcedcheerfulnessonAnne’ssideproducednearlyacureonMary’s.Shecouldsoonsituprightonthesofa,andbegantohopeshemightbeabletoleaveitbydinner-time.Then,forgettingtothinkofit,shewasattheotherendoftheroom,beautifyinganosegaythen,sheatehercoldmeatandthenshewaswellenoughtoproposealittlewalk. “Whereshallwego?”saidshe,whentheywereready.“IsupposeyouwillnotliketocallattheGreatHousebeforetheyhavebeentoseeyou?” “Ihavenotthesmallestobjectiononthataccount,”repliedAnne.“IshouldneverthinkofstandingonsuchceremonywithpeopleIknowsowellasMrsandtheMissMusgroves.” “Oh!buttheyoughttocalluponyouassoonaspossible.Theyoughttofeelwhatisduetoyouasmysister.However,wemayaswellgoandsitwiththemalittlewhile,andwhenwehavethatover,wecanenjoyourwalk.” Annehadalwaysthoughtsuchastyleofintercoursehighlyimprudentbutshehadceasedtoendeavourtocheckit,frombelievingthat,thoughtherewereoneachsidecontinualsubjectsofoffence,neitherfamilycouldnowdowithoutit.TotheGreatHouseaccordinglytheywent,tositthefullhalfhourintheold-fashionedsquareparlour,withasmallcarpetandshiningfloor,towhichthepresentdaughtersofthehouseweregraduallygivingtheproperairofconfusionbyagrandpiano-forteandaharp,flower-standsandlittletablesplacedineverydirection.Oh!couldtheoriginalsoftheportraitsagainstthewainscot,couldthegentlemeninbrownvelvetandtheladiesinbluesatinhaveseenwhatwasgoingon,havebeenconsciousofsuchanoverthrowofallorderandneatness!Theportraitsthemselvesseemedtobestaringinastonishment. TheMusgroves,liketheirhouses,wereinastateofalteration,perhapsofimprovement.ThefatherandmotherwereintheoldEnglishstyle,andtheyoungpeopleinthenew.MrandMrsMusgrovewereaverygoodsortofpeoplefriendlyandhospitable,notmucheducated,andnotatallelegant.Theirchildrenhadmoremodernmindsandmanners.Therewasanumerousfamilybuttheonlytwogrownup,exceptingCharles,wereHenriettaandLouisa,youngladiesofnineteenandtwenty,whohadbroughtfromschoolatExeteralltheusualstockofaccomplishments,andwerenowlikethousandsofotheryoungladies,livingtobefashionable,happy,andmerry.Theirdresshadeveryadvantage,theirfaceswereratherpretty,theirspiritsextremelygood,theirmannerunembarrassedandpleasanttheywereofconsequenceathome,andfavouritesabroad.Annealwayscontemplatedthemassomeofthehappiestcreaturesofheracquaintancebutstill,savedasweallare,bysomecomfortablefeelingofsuperiorityfromwishingforthepossibilityofexchange,shewouldnothavegivenupherownmoreelegantandcultivatedmindforalltheirenjoymentsandenviedthemnothingbutthatseeminglyperfectgoodunderstandingandagreementtogether,thatgood-humouredmutualaffection,ofwhichshehadknownsolittleherselfwitheitherofhersisters. Theywerereceivedwithgreatcordiality.NothingseemedamissonthesideoftheGreatHousefamily,whichwasgenerally,asAnneverywellknew,theleasttoblame.Thehalfhourwaschattedawaypleasantlyenoughandshewasnotatallsurprised,attheendofit,tohavetheirwalkingpartyjoinedbyboththeMissMusgroves,atMary’sparticularinvitation.