Agnes Grey Part 7

'Well, but it is such a short time.'

'Nearly a fortnight by my computation; and, besides, I cannot bear the thoughts of a Christmas spent from home: and, moreover, my sister is going to be married.'

'Is she-when?'

'Not till next month; but I want to be there to a.s.sist her in making preparations, and to make the best of her company while we have her.'

'Why didn't you tell me before?'

'I've only got the news in this letter, which you stigmatize as dull and stupid, and won't let me read.'

'To whom is she to be married?'

'To Mr. Richardson, the vicar of a neighbouring parish.'

'Is he rich?'

'No; only comfortable.'

'Is he handsome?'

'No; only decent.'

'Young?'

'No; only middling.'

'Oh, mercy! what a wretch! What sort of a house is it?'

'A quiet little vicarage, with an ivy-clad porch, an old-fas.h.i.+oned garden, and-'

'Oh, stop!-you'll make me sick. How _can_ she bear it?'

'I expect she'll not only be able to bear it, but to be very happy. You did not ask me if Mr. Richardson were a good, wise, or amiable man; I could have answered Yes, to all these questions-at least so Mary thinks, and I hope she will not find herself mistaken.'

'But-miserable creature! how can she think of spending her life there, cooped up with that nasty old man; and no hope of change?'

'He is not old: he's only six or seven and thirty; and she herself is twenty-eight, and as sober as if she were fifty.'

'Oh! that's better then-they're well matched; but do they call him the "worthy vicar"?'

'I don't know; but if they do, I believe he merits the epithet.'

'Mercy, how shocking! and will she wear a white ap.r.o.n and make pies and puddings?'

'I don't know about the white ap.r.o.n, but I dare say she will make pies and puddings now and then; but that will be no great hards.h.i.+p, as she has done it before.'

'And will she go about in a plain shawl, and a large straw bonnet, carrying tracts and bone soup to her husband's poor paris.h.i.+oners?'

'I'm not clear about that; but I dare say she will do her best to make them comfortable in body and mind, in accordance with our mother's example.'

CHAPTER IX-THE BALL

'Now, Miss Grey,' exclaimed Miss Murray, immediately I entered the schoolroom, after having taken off my outdoor garments, upon returning from my four weeks' recreation, 'Now-shut the door, and sit down, and I'll tell you all about the ball.'

'No-d.a.m.n it, no!' shouted Miss Matilda. 'Hold your tongue, can't ye? and let me tell her about my new mare-_such_ a splendour, Miss Grey! a fine blood mare-'

'Do be quiet, Matilda; and let me tell my news first.'

'No, no, Rosalie; you'll be such a d.a.m.ned long time over it-she shall hear me first-I'll be hanged if she doesn't!'

'I'm sorry to hear, Miss Matilda, that you've not got rid of that shocking habit yet.'

'Well, I can't help it: but I'll never say a wicked word again, if you'll only listen to me, and tell Rosalie to hold her confounded tongue.'

Rosalie remonstrated, and I thought I should have been torn in pieces between them; but Miss Matilda having the loudest voice, her sister at length gave in, and suffered her to tell her story first: so I was doomed to hear a long account of her splendid mare, its breeding and pedigree, its paces, its action, its spirit, &c., and of her own amazing skill and courage in riding it; concluding with an a.s.sertion that she could clear a five-barred gate 'like winking,' that papa said she might hunt the next time the hounds met, and mamma had ordered a bright scarlet hunting-habit for her.

'Oh, Matilda! what stories you are telling!' exclaimed her sister.

'Well,' answered she, no whit abashed, 'I know I _could_ clear a five-barred gate, if I tried, and papa _will_ say I may hunt, and mamma _will_ order the habit when I ask it.'

'Well, now get along,' replied Miss Murray; 'and do, dear Matilda, try to be a little more lady-like. Miss Grey, I wish you would tell her not to use such shocking words; she will call her horse a mare: it is so inconceivably shocking! and then she uses such dreadful expressions in describing it: she must have learned it from the grooms. It nearly puts me into fits when she begins.'

'I learned it from papa, you a.s.s! and his jolly friends,' said the young lady, vigorously cracking a hunting-whip, which she habitually carried in her hand. 'I'm as good judge of horseflesh as the best of 'm.'

'Well, now get along, you shocking girl! I really shall take a fit if you go on in such a way. And now, Miss Grey, attend to me; I'm going to tell you about the ball. You must be dying to hear about it, I know.

Oh, _such_ a ball! You never saw or heard, or read, or dreamt of anything like it in all your life. The decorations, the entertainment, the supper, the music were indescribable! and then the guests! There were two n.o.blemen, three baronets, and five t.i.tled ladies, and other ladies and gentlemen innumerable. The ladies, of course, were of no consequence to me, except to put me in a good humour with myself, by showing how ugly and awkward most of them were; and the best, mamma told me,-the most transcendent beauties among them, were nothing to me. As for me, Miss Grey-I'm so _sorry_ you didn't see me! I was _charming_-wasn't I, Matilda?'

'Middling.'

'No, but I really was-at least so mamma said-and Brown and Williamson.

Brown said she was sure no gentleman could set eyes on me without falling in love that minute; and so I may be allowed to be a little vain. I know you think me a shocking, conceited, frivolous girl; but then, you know, I don't attribute it _all_ to my personal attractions: I give some praise to the hairdresser, and some to my exquisitely lovely dress-you must see it to-morrow-white gauze over pink satin-and so _sweetly_ made! and a necklace and bracelet of beautiful, large pearls!'

'I have no doubt you looked very charming: but should that delight you so very much?'

'Oh, no!-not that alone: but, then, I was so much admired; and I made so _many_ conquests in that one night-you'd be astonished to hear-'

'But what good will they do you?'

'What good! Think of any woman asking that!'

'Well, I should think one conquest would be enough; and too much, unless the subjugation were mutual.'

'Oh, but you know I never agree with you on those points. Now, wait a bit, and I'll tell you my princ.i.p.al admirers-those who made themselves very conspicuous that night and after: for I've been to two parties since. Unfortunately the two n.o.blemen, Lord G--- and Lord F---, were married, or I might have condescended to be particularly gracious to _them_; as it was, I did not: though Lord F---, who hates his wife, was evidently much struck with me. He asked me to dance with him twice-he is a charming dancer, by-the-by, and so am I: you can't think how well I did-I was astonished at myself. My lord was very complimentary too-rather too much so in fact-and I thought proper to be a little haughty and repellent; but I had the pleasure of seeing his nasty, cross wife ready to perish with spite and vexation-'