tseenhimsinceseveno’clock.Hewouldgo,thoughItoldhimhowillIwas.Hesaidheshouldnotstayoutlongbuthehasnevercomeback,andnowitisalmostone.Iassureyou,Ihavenotseenasoulthiswholelongmorning.”
“Youhavehadyourlittleboyswithyou?”
“Yes,aslongasIcouldbeartheirnoisebuttheyaresounmanageablethattheydomemoreharmthangood.LittleCharlesdoesnotmindawordIsay,andWalterisgrowingquiteasbad.”
“Well,youwillsoonbebetternow,”repliedAnne,cheerfully.“YouknowIalwayscureyouwhenIcome.HowareyourneighboursattheGreatHouse?”
“Icangiveyounoaccountofthem.Ihavenotseenoneofthemto-day,exceptMrMusgrove,whojuststoppedandspokethroughthewindow,butwithoutgettingoffhishorseandthoughItoldhimhowillIwas,notoneofthemhavebeennearme.ItdidnothappentosuittheMissMusgroves,Isuppose,andtheyneverputthemselvesoutoftheirway.”
“Youwillseethemyet,perhaps,beforethemorningisgone.Itisearly.”
“Ineverwantthem,Iassureyou.Theytalkandlaughagreatdealtoomuchforme.Oh!Anne,Iamsoveryunwell!ItwasquiteunkindofyounottocomeonThursday.”
“MydearMary,recollectwhatacomfortableaccountyousentmeofyourself!Youwroteinthecheerfullestmanner,andsaidyouwereperfectlywell,andinnohurryformeandthatbeingthecase,youmustbeawarethatmywishwouldbetoremainwithLadyRusselltothelast:andbesideswhatIfeltonheraccount,Ihavereallybeensobusy,havehadsomuchtodo,thatIcouldnotveryconvenientlyhaveleftKellynchsooner.”
“Dearme!whatcanyoupossiblyhavetodo?”
“Agreatmanythings,Iassureyou.MorethanIcanrecollectinamomentbutIcantellyousome.Ihavebeenmakingaduplicateofthecatalogueofmyfather’sbooksandpictures.IhavebeenseveraltimesinthegardenwithMackenzie,tryingtounderstand,andmakehimunderstand,whichofElizabeth’splantsareforLadyRussell.Ihavehadallmyownlittleconcernstoarrange,booksandmusictodivide,andallmytrunkstorepack,fromnothavingunderstoodintimewhatwasintendedastothewaggons:andonethingIhavehadtodo,Mary,ofamoretryingnature:goingtoalmosteveryhouseinthepa