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.Michae