Murder at Mansfield Park Read Online Free PDF Page B

green to the autumn glories of gold and red and brown.’
    ‘In that case I am sure you must spend many happy hours with your cousin,’ said Mary. ‘Only yesterday I heard Miss Price rhapsodising about the beauties of spring.’
    In spite of herself, Julia could not help half a smile. ‘That does not surprise me—Fanny is much given to “rhapsodising” of late. She believes it shews her to have elegant taste and—what was her phrase?—“sublimity of soul”. And such romantic sensibilities are, of course, exceedingly fashionable just at present.’
    It was Mary’s turn to smile at this, and an unexpected gust of wind then nearly shaking the sketch-book from Julia’s hands, the two of them jumped up and began to walk back towards the house. By the time they reached the terrace some thing like friendship had already been established between them, notwithstanding their differences in age and situation. They parted with affectionate words, and Mary returned at last to the parsonage.
    Julia said nothing to her family of her encounter in the avenue, and spent so long in adding new touches to her drawing that her mother was already ringing the bell for dinner when she joined the other ladies of the family.
    Mrs Norris began scolding at once.‘That is a very foolish trick, Julia, to be idling away all the day in the garden, when there is so much needlework to be done. If you have no work of your own, I can supply you from the poor-basket here. There is all this new calico that your mother bought last week, not touched yet.’
    Julia was taking the work very quietly, when her aunt suddenly exclaimed once more. ‘Oh! For shame, Julia! How can you shew yourself in the drawing-room in such a disgraceful state!—Look at you, quite covered with paint, and to be sure you have ruined this entire roll of cloth with your thoughtlessness. Do you have no thought for the waste of money? Be off with you now, and wash yourself, before your father sees you and mistakes you for one of the lesser servants.’
    There was indeed a very small speck of ink, quite dry, on Julia’s hand, but she knew better than to contradict her aunt, however unjust her accusations, and returned to her room to remedy it, her heart swelling with repressed injury at being so publicly mortified for so little cause. When she reappeared downstairs she was just in time to hear the name of her new friend. Maria had not long returned from her daily ride with the old coachman, and related, with much liveliness, that he had never seen a young lady sit a horse better than Miss Crawford, when first put on.
    ‘I was sure she would ride well,’ Maria continued, ‘she has the make for it. Her figure is so neat and light.’
    ‘I am sure you are a fair judge, Maria,’ said Lady Bertram, ‘since you ride so well yourself. I only wish you could persuade Julia to learn. It is such a nice accomplishment for a young lady.’
    Mrs Norris, who was still in a decidedly ill temper, seemed to find this inoffensive remark particularly provoking, and after muttering some thing about ‘the nonsense and folly of people’s stepping out of their rank and trying to appear above themselves’, she observed in a louder tone, ‘I am sure Miss Crawford’s enjoyment of riding has much to do with the fact that she is contriving to learn at no expense to herself . Or perhaps it is Edmund’ s attendance and instructions that make her so unwilling to dismount. Indeed, I cannot see why Edmund should always have to prove his good-nature by everyone , however insignificant they are. What is Miss Crawford to us ?’
    ‘I admit,’ said Fanny, after a little consideration, ‘that I am a little surprised that Edmund can spend so many hours with Miss Crawford, and not see more of the sort of fault which I observe every time I am with her. She has such a loud opinion of her own cleverness, and such an ill-bred insistence on commanding everyone’s attention, whenever she is in company. And her