mesoverymuchastheydohim.Ihaveknownafacenotmateriallydisfiguredbyafew,butheabominatesthem.YoumusthaveheardhimnoticeMrsClay’sfreckles.”
“Thereishardlyanypersonaldefect,”repliedAnne,“whichanagreeablemannermightnotgraduallyreconcileoneto.”
“Ithinkverydifferently,”answeredElizabeth,shortly“anagreeablemannermaysetoffhandsomefeatures,butcanneveralterplainones.However,atanyrate,asIhaveagreatdealmoreatstakeonthispointthananybodyelsecanhave,Ithinkitratherunnecessaryinyoutobeadvisingme.”
Annehaddonegladthatitwasover,andnotabsolutelyhopelessofdoinggood.Elizabeth,thoughresentingthesuspicion,mightyetbemadeobservantbyit.
Thelastofficeofthefourcarriage-horseswastodrawSirWalter,MissElliot,andMrsClaytoBath.ThepartydroveoffinverygoodspiritsSirWalterpreparedwithcondescendingbowsforalltheafflictedtenantryandcottagerswhomighthavehadahinttoshowthemselves,andAnnewalkedupatthesametime,inasortofdesolatetranquillity,totheLodge,whereshewastospendthefirstweek.
Herfriendwasnotinbetterspiritsthanherself.LadyRussellfeltthisbreak-upofthefamilyexceedingly.Theirrespectabilitywasasdeartoherasherown,andadailyintercoursehadbecomepreciousbyhabit.Itwaspainfultolookupontheirdesertedgrounds,andstillworsetoanticipatethenewhandstheyweretofallintoandtoescapethesolitarinessandthemelancholyofsoalteredavillage,andbeoutofthewaywhenAdmiralandMrsCroftfirstarrived,shehaddeterminedtomakeherownabsencefromhomebeginwhenshemustgiveupAnne.Accordinglytheirremovalwasmadetogether,andAnnewassetdownatUppercrossCottage,inthefirststageofLadyRussell’sjourney.
Uppercrosswasamoderate-sizedvillage,whichafewyearsbackhadbeencompletelyintheoldEnglishstyle,containingonlytwohousessuperiorinappearancetothoseoftheyeomenandlabourersthemansionofthesquire,withitshighwalls,greatgates,andoldtrees,substantialandunmodernized,andthecompact,tightparsonage,enclosedinitsownneatgarden,withavineandapear-treetrainedrounditsca