e,theyarealwaystemptinghertotakeawalkwiththem.”AndonMrsMusgrove’sside,itwas,“Imakearuleofneverinterferinginanyofmydaughter-in-law’sconcerns,forIknowitwouldnotdobutIshalltellyou,MissAnne,becauseyoumaybeabletosetthingstorights,thatIhavenoverygoodopinionofMrsCharles’snursery-maid:Ihearstrangestoriesofhersheisalwaysuponthegadandfrommyownknowledge,Icandeclare,sheissuchafine-dressinglady,thatsheisenoughtoruinanyservantsshecomesnear.MrsCharlesquiteswearsbyher,IknowbutIjustgiveyouthishint,thatyoumaybeuponthewatchbecause,ifyouseeanythingamiss,youneednotbeafraidofmentioningit.”
Again,itwasMary’scomplaint,thatMrsMusgrovewasveryaptnottogivehertheprecedencethatwasherdue,whentheydinedattheGreatHousewithotherfamiliesandshedidnotseeanyreasonwhyshewastobeconsideredsomuchathomeastoloseherplace.AndonedaywhenAnnewaswalkingwithonlytheMusgroves,oneofthemaftertalkingofrank,peopleofrank,andjealousyofrank,said,“Ihavenoscrupleofobservingtoyou,hownonsensicalsomepersonsareabouttheirplace,becausealltheworldknowshoweasyandindifferentyouareaboutitbutIwishanybodycouldgiveMaryahintthatitwouldbeagreatdealbetterifshewerenotsoverytenacious,especiallyifshewouldnotbealwaysputtingherselfforwardtotakeplaceofmamma.Nobodydoubtsherrighttohaveprecedenceofmamma,butitwouldbemorebecominginhernottobealwaysinsistingonit.Itisnotthatmammacaresaboutittheleastintheworld,butIknowitistakennoticeofbymanypersons.”
HowwasAnnetosetallthesematterstorights?Shecoulddolittlemorethanlistenpatiently,softeneverygrievance,andexcuseeachtotheothergivethemallhintsoftheforbearancenecessarybetweensuchnearneighbours,andmakethosehintsbroadestwhichweremeantforhersister’sbenefit.
Inallotherrespects,hervisitbeganandproceededverywell.Herownspiritsimprovedbychangeofplaceandsubject,bybeingremovedthreemilesfromKellynchMary’sailmentslessenedbyhavingaconstantcompanion,andtheirdailyintercoursewiththeotherfamily,sincetherewasneithersuperioraffection,confidence,