Old Friends and New Fancies Read Online Free Page A

rally her on the becomingness of the gown which the latter was wearing, accompanying her remarks with many giggles, mysterious whispers and covert references to "favourite colour" and "smart uniforms" which made Elizabeth wonder that her cousin could tolerate such treatment for an instant. But poor Anne de Bourgh's nature, only half developed by reason of her ill-health and her mother's forcefulness of character, had yielded entirely to the dominating influence exercised over her by a person nearer her own age, and one who made an effort to understand and play upon her weakness. Elizabeth soon began to perceive the secret of the intimacy--Miss Steele, in her anxiety to recommend herself to the de Bourgh family, had discovered that by enlivening and flattering the daughter she might best become a person of value to the mother. Anne Steele's last words before the carriage stopped were intended to be inaudible to Elizabeth,
and put the final touch to her disgust and dislike.
"Me and Lucy will be so miserable if you give us up now
these grand cousins of yours are come down, Miss Anne!" Miss de Bourgh made what was for her a vehement motion
of dissent, and when they had entered the room, Elizabeth, having piloted her charges to Lady Catherine's side, found a seat for
herself as far as possible from anyone connected with the Steele
family. Her husband joined her just before the concert began,
and in the double pleasure of listening to the music and feeling
his proximity, she forgot the previous vexations of the evening. "Well, how have you been getting on?" inquired a voice
behind her, in the first pause.
"Why, Fitzwilliam!" exclaimed Darcy, glancing round, "what
business have you up at this end? You ought to be squiring the
young ladies down there by my aunt."
"Poor Robert!" said Elizabeth. "He is only off duty for half
an hour."
"That is it," replied Colonel Fitzwilliam. "I was exhausted,
and seeing this empty chair, I forthwith occupied it. Besides, I
want to hear the harp solo in peace and quiet. I have not heard
the harp played for years, and I am exceedingly fond of it." "That is the next one, I see. Hush, now! I know this man is
going to sing out of tune. He looks like it."
"We ought to have some compensation for listening to
that," murmured Darcy, when the song was done. "I believe Mr.
Collins would have given us a better performance." "He certainly is rather like Mr. Collins," remarked Elizabeth
reflectively. "Here comes the harp--and what a lovely girl! Is
her name on the programme? Yes, Miss Crawford."
Mary Crawford, who since Dr. Grant's death had entirely
lived with her sister, Mrs. Grant, at Bath, had lost none of the
beauty and charm which had captivated the heart of Edmund
Bertram: indeed, the four years which had elapsed since then
had given her form and air more regal elegance. The knowledge
of sorrow, and regret that she had so much to injure her own
chances of happiness, had softened her nature, and now, more
gentle, womanly and sympathetic, she was in many ways a different creature from the brilliant Miss Crawford of former days.
Mrs. Grant, while loving her devotedly and rejoicing in her companionship, still grieved in secret that no suitor worthy of her dear Mary should ever have succeeded Edmund Bertram, and that no second attachment should have taken place of one which, though renounced without bitterness, had nevertheless left a deep mark upon her sister's character. In Bath their lives were full of interest, and they made many friends; but Mary always laughed at her sister's plans for her marrying, and returned the same kind of answer. "I expect so much, you know, and the chosen he must expect so little, that I doubt whether we
should ever come to terms."
Her sister would protest against this, knowing well the real
worth of the disposition which Mary hid under a careless and
sometimes cold manner; but she also knew that Mary would be
more difficult to satisfy, both as regards her own qualities and
those of