Old Friends and New Fancies Read Online Free PDF Page B

worthwhile, Elizabeth and I would rush to the rescue; but there is sure to be a tremendous explosion before long; they will all quarrel violently, she will come and tell us that they are ungrateful vipers, or something like that, and next year it will begin all over again with someone else."
"Well!" cried Elizabeth, as they opened the door, "did Aunt
    Catherine mind?"
"No, he has got off with a whole skin this time," replied her
husband, "or rather, not quite a whole one, for he has had to pledge
himself to join the expedition to Clifton to-morrow instead." "I had forgotten that expedition to Clifton," Elizabeth
exclaimed in dismay; "I wish it would rain! But if it did, we
should only have to go another day. Mr. Morland, have you been
to Clifton? Oh, do say it will be quite new to you! You can't? Is
there no one who has never been there? My aunt makes up a
party every year, for her newest friends, and we always do the
same things and make the same remarks."
Elizabeth's forecast created much amusement, and Miss
Crawford said: "Everything I hear beforehand of Lady Catherine is very alarming to a stranger like myself. I shall have to have caught a bad cold before her reception next week, for I shall not
have the courage to appear and play."
"Oh, no, Miss Crawford, you must appear," said Darcy. "We
are all too bad, with our jokes about her, for really she means to
be very kind. But we have got into shocking ways since my wife
married into the family."
"On the contrary, I think I have educated you all admirably." "You are a privileged person, you see," said Colonel
Fitzwilliam. "Miss Crawford, will you do us the kindness of playing again? I want to reap the advantage of the present moment,
as the reception is a long way off."
The lady acceded with willingness, and at the conclusion of
her piece Colonel Fitzwilliam sat down near her and found himself soon conversing with more ease and enjoyment than he had
done for many months. Their talk was only of the most ordinary
subjects; but the Colonel's simplicity and culture appealed to the
best that was in Mary, and he found in her a ready sympathy, felt
rather than expressed. His views of London life--so pleasant, so
stimulating for the greater part of the year, but the country was
better for a permanent home--exactly coincided with Mary's;
and almost to her surprise, she heard herself vehemently asserting
that town might be the place to make friends, but the country
was the place to enjoy them. "You are a lover of country sports?"
questioned the Colonel; "of riding and driving?" Mary answered
enthusiastically, though repressing a sigh at the recollection of
her first riding lessons. Did she ride at Bath? He could recommend her some good livery stables. His cousin, Mrs. Darcy, did
not care for it, else some agreeable plans might have been made. Meantime, the conversation was quite as animated in the
other group. James Morland was asking if the ladies were those
whom General Tilney and his son had lately met at dinner in
Pulteney Street.
"Yes, you are right," replied Elizabeth. "Did you hear of that
dinner-party?"
"Lady Portinscale told me. I should not otherwise have
known, for I don't see mush of the General and Captain Tilney,"
James Morland answered with a smile.
"I thought Eleanor told me all was forgiven?"
"Catherine is, but her relations do not pass the censor. Still,
it does not matter in the least, so long as he is kind to her, and I
think I may say he is."
"I suppose he is often at the Portinscales'?" observed
Elizabeth.
"Fairly often, but Lord Portinscale contrives that he does not
stay too long; he thinks it worries Eleanor, and, as you know, she is
anxious to take care of herself and go in thoroughly for the cure." "Dear Eleanor! I am so devoted to her."
"Yes, indeed, one would be; she is the kindest friend anyone
could possibly have. Do you know, Mrs. Darcy, they insist on my
having a sitting-room to myself, where I can read undisturbed, or
I can spend my time with them,