laughingordancingitisquitedifferent.Ifonehappensonlytoshutthedooralittlehard,shestartsandwriggleslikeayoungdab-chickinthewaterandBenwicksitsatherelbow,readingverses,orwhisperingtoher,alldaylong.”
Annecouldnothelplaughing.“Thatcannotbemuchtoyourtaste,Iknow,”saidshe“butIdobelievehimtobeanexcellentyoungman.”
“Tobesureheis.NobodydoubtsitandIhopeyoudonotthinkIamsoilliberalastowanteverymantohavethesameobjectsandpleasuresasmyself.IhaveagreatvalueforBenwickandwhenonecanbutgethimtotalk,hehasplentytosay.Hisreadinghasdonehimnoharm,forhehasfoughtaswellasread.Heisabravefellow.IgotmoreacquaintedwithhimlastMondaythaneverIdidbefore.Wehadafamousset-toatrat-huntingallthemorninginmyfather’sgreatbarnsandheplayedhispartsowellthatIhavelikedhimthebettereversince.”
HeretheywereinterruptedbytheabsolutenecessityofCharles’sfollowingtheotherstoadmiremirrorsandchinabutAnnehadheardenoughtounderstandthepresentstateofUppercross,andrejoiceinitshappinessandthoughshesighedassherejoiced,hersighhadnoneoftheill-willofenvyinit.Shewouldcertainlyhaverisentotheirblessingsifshecould,butshedidnotwanttolessentheirs.
Thevisitpassedoffaltogetherinhighgoodhumour.Marywasinexcellentspirits,enjoyingthegaietyandthechange,andsowellsatisfiedwiththejourneyinhermother-in-law’scarriagewithfourhorses,andwithherowncompleteindependenceofCamdenPlace,thatshewasexactlyinatempertoadmireeverythingassheought,andentermostreadilyintoallthesuperioritiesofthehouse,astheyweredetailedtoher.Shehadnodemandsonherfatherorsister,andherconsequencewasjustenoughincreasedbytheirhandsomedrawing-rooms.
Elizabethwas,forashorttime,sufferingagooddeal.ShefeltthatMrsMusgroveandallherpartyoughttobeaskedtodinewiththembutshecouldnotbeartohavethedifferenceofstyle,thereductionofservants,whichadinnermustbetray,witnessedbythosewhohadbeenalwayssoinferiortotheElliotsofKellynch.Itwasastrugglebetweenproprietyandvanitybutvanitygotthebetter,andthenElizabethwashappyagain.Thesewereherinternalpersuasions:“OldfashionednotionscountryhospitalitywedonotprofesstogivedinnersfewpeopleinBathdoLadyAlicianeverdoesdidnotevenaskherownsister’sfamily,thoughtheywerehereamonth:andIdaresayitwouldbeveryinconvenienttoMrsMusgroveputherquiteoutofherway.Iamsureshewouldrathernotcomeshecannotfeeleasywithus.Iwillaskthemallforaneveningthatwillbemuchbetterthatwillbeanoveltyandatreat.Theyhavenotseentwosuchdrawingroomsbefore.Theywillbedelightedtocometo-morrowevening.Itshallbearegularparty,small,butmostelegant.”AndthissatisfiedElizabeth:andwhentheinvitationwasgiventothetwopresent,andpromisedfortheabsent,Marywasascompletelysatisfied.ShewasparticularlyaskedtomeetMrElliot,andbeintroducedtoLadyDalrympleandMissCarteret,whowerefortunatelyalreadyengagedtocomeandshecouldnothave