CHAPTER VI.

notbealwaysputtingherselfforwardtotakeplaceofmamma.Nobodydoubtsherrighttohaveprecedenceofmamma,butitwouldbemorebecominginhernottobealwaysinsistingonit.Itisnotthatmammacaresaboutittheleastintheworld,butIknowitistakennoticeofbymanypersons.” HowwasAnnetosetallthesematterstorights?Shecoulddolittlemorethanlistenpatiently,softeneverygrievance,andexcuseeachtotheothergivethemallhintsoftheforbearancenecessarybetweensuchnearneighbours,andmakethosehintsbroadestwhichweremeantforhersister’sbenefit. Inallotherrespects,hervisitbeganandproceededverywell.Herownspiritsimprovedbychangeofplaceandsubject,bybeingremovedthreemilesfromKellynchMary’sailmentslessenedbyhavingaconstantcompanion,andtheirdailyintercoursewiththeotherfamily,sincetherewasneithersuperioraffection,confidence,noremploymentinthecottage,tobeinterruptedbyit,wasratheranadvantage.Itwascertainlycarriednearlyasfaraspossible,fortheymeteverymorning,andhardlyeverspentaneveningasunderbutshebelievedtheyshouldnothavedonesowellwithoutthesightofMrandMrsMusgrove’srespectableformsintheusualplaces,orwithoutthetalking,laughing,andsingingoftheirdaughters. SheplayedagreatdealbetterthaneitheroftheMissMusgroves,buthavingnovoice,noknowledgeoftheharp,andnofondparents,tositbyandfancythemselvesdelighted,herperformancewaslittlethoughtof,onlyoutofcivility,ortorefreshtheothers,asshewaswellaware.Sheknewthatwhensheplayedshewasgivingpleasureonlytoherselfbutthiswasnonewsensation.Exceptingoneshortperiodofherlife,shehadnever,sincetheageoffourteen,neversincethelossofherdearmother,knownthehappinessofbeinglistenedto,orencouragedbyanyjustappreciationorrealtaste.InmusicshehadbeenalwaysusedtofeelaloneintheworldandMrandMrsMusgrove’sfondpartialityfortheirowndaughters’performance,andtotalindifferencetoanyotherperson’s,gavehermuchmorepleasurefortheirsakes,thanmortificationforherown. ThepartyattheGreatHousewassometimesincreasedbyothercompany.Theneighbourhoodwasnotlarge,buttheMusgroveswerevisitedbyeverybody,andhadmoredinner-parties,andmorecallers,morevisitorsbyinvitationandbychance,thananyotherfamily.Theyweremorecompletelypopular. Thegirlswerewildfordancingandtheeveningsended,occasionally,inanunpremeditatedlittleball.TherewasafamilyofcousinswithinawalkofUppercross,inlessaffluentcircumstances,whodependedontheMusgrovesforalltheirpleasures:theywouldcomeatanytime,andhelpplayatanything,ordanceanywhereandAnne,verymuchpreferringtheofficeofmusiciantoamoreactivepost,playedcountrydancestothembythehourtogetherakindnesswhichalwaysrecommendedhermusicalpowerstothenoticeofMrandMrsMusgrovemorethananythingelse,andoftendrewthiscompliment—“Welldone,MissAnne!verywelldoneindeed!Lordblessme!howthoselittlefingersofyoursflyabout!” Sopassedthefirstthreeweeks.MichaelmascameandnowAnne’sheartmustbeinKellynchagain.Abelovedhomemadeovertoothersallthepreciousroomsandfurniture,groves,andprospects,beginningtoownothereyesandotherlimbs!Shecouldnotthinkofmuchelseonthe29thofSeptemberandshehadthissympathetictouchintheeveningfromMary,who,onhavingoccasiontonotedownthedayofthemonth,exclaimed,“Dearme,isnotthisthedaytheCroftsweretocometoKellynch?IamgladIdidnotthinkofitbefore.Howlowitmakesme!” TheCroftstookpossessionwithtruenavalalertness,andweretobevisited.Marydeploredthenecessityforherself.“Nobodyknewhowmuchsheshouldsuffer.Sheshouldputitoffaslongasshecould”butwasnoteasytillshehadtalkedCharlesintodrivingheroveronanearlyday,andwasinaveryanimated,comfortablestateofimaginaryagitation,whenshecameback.Annehadverysincerelyrejoicedintherebeingn