CHAPTER V.
關燈
小
中
大
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.