John Campbell continued much pleased with his situation, and all his
leisure hours were spent with Mrs. Meridith and Anna, if they were at
home; and when they were not, Syphax and Bella were his companions. As
he was known to be countenanced by Mrs. Meridith, he would have been
invited wherever she was, had not his father positively forbade it; and
as Mr. Mansell's was a very domestic family, he was not without agreeable
society in their house. Whenever they dined at Mrs. Meridith's he was
of the party, and joined what little company they had at home; and this
was all the introduction to the world John met with; nor did he wish
for more, as the habits of industry in which he was brought up, made him
attentive to business; and he was very desirous of shewing his father
that the money advanced for him would not be thrown away.
Anna became acquainted with several young people in the town, some of
whom she found could be pleasing companions, when the conversation took
a different turn than the amusements of the preceding evening; while
others could talk of nothing else.
There was only one family who were of equal consequence in the
neighbourhood with Mrs. Meridith, but of very different sentiments; and
with these Anna could not converse as freely as with the rest of her
acquaintance. The story of her birth Mrs. Meridith had not endeavoured
to conceal; but it did not appear to affect the behaviour of any one,
except the Miss Hunts, who, being distantly allied to nobility, could
not bear the idea of a plebeian's daughter being on a footing with
themselves.
"Her father was nobody," said they to those within their circle, "and
I have heard that he is even now a common beggar; and Mrs. Meridith's
choosing to adopt her for a daughter, is no reason she should force her
upon all her acquaintance."
"She certainly is a very romantic woman; but my mamma says, and I think
so too," said the eldest Miss Hunt, "that as she was so fond of the
farmers, and country people, she had better have continued among them;
and not, after confining herself to their society for ten or twelve
years, have come forth again, with an attempt to introduce one of
_their_ family into the world, whom they say she has educated with all
the fine sentiments and benevolent ideas which she herself possesses."
Some of Anna's friends now endeavoured to take her part, by saying she
was very well-bred, and had a good understanding; and that she was not
at all vain of Mrs. Meridith's favours.
"I wonder at that," said the young lady, "for mamma says when she called
at Mrs. Meridith's, after she had taken her, there was nothing talked
of but the _little Anna_. Mrs. Meridith did not return mamma's call for
nearly a twelvemonth afterwards; and refused every invitation which
mamma sent her; so much taken up with the education of her darling, I
suppose, and she has now brought her forth to astonish society."
Those of Miss Hunt's party who wished to please her, laughed at this
sally of wit, and those of Anna's friends left them, to join her and
Mrs. Meridith, who were at another part of the room.
It was not long before Anna perceived some of her acquaintance change
their behaviour towards her, for Miss Hunt was of too much consequence
not to have her opinion regarded, by those who expected more
entertainments at the house of her parents, than at Mrs. Meridith's;
whom they doubted not would soon return to Rosewood, and there continue
the same secluded life she had lately lived: so that Miss Hunt's party
enlarged, while Anna's lessened; nor did she continue ignorant of the
cause. One of her young friends, who still regarded her as worthy
notice, took an opportunity to hint at what Miss Hunt had said; nor did
Anna affect to misunderstand her.
"I know," said she, "that I am indebted to Mrs. Meridith's kindness for
every advantage I possess, and that I have no claim to the title of her
daughter; my birth was obscure, and my father, I fear, little worthy
of that name; but my mother deserved a better fate, and her family was
respected by every one, though they are in humble life, and the more so,
for not wishing to step out of it. My uncle, whose sentiments would do
honour to the highest station, was a father to me, till Mrs. Meridith
took me under her care, when I was too young to solicit such favour, or
even to think of it; nor have I used any arts to have it continued; but
the sense I have of her kindness ought to make me grateful; nor can I
think my whole life spent in promoting her happiness too great a return."
"Are your parents both dead?" asked her friend.
"My mother is," said Anna, "and I have reason to think my father also,
as he has not been heard of since I was born: but it would give me great
satisfaction to known he was become a better man; and then, let his
situation be ever so poor, it would be my pleasure, as well as my duty,
to assist him, as far as is in my power."
"You are certainly an extraordinary girl," returned the young lady, "but
should not you be ashamed to find him a beggar?"
"Not unless his own ill conduct had made him so," replied Anna, "but if
unavoidable poverty, or ill health, had reduced him to that state, he
should not be a beggar long."
"Mrs. Meridith would _prevent that_," said the other.
"I have no claim upon her, as I said before," returned Anna, "and her
kindness to me is no reason she should extend her benevolence to my
father; though she never sees any body in want without relieving them.
But the education she has given me, would enable me to gain a support
for him; and in _this_ light she _would_ prevent it."
"Well, I must again say you are an extraordinary girl," replied her
visitor, "and I like you better than ever; such sentiments as your's
deserve regard--how superior to the vain boast of birth and title!"
"Birth and title without these opinions lose half their value in my
estimation," replied Anna, "but with them they reflect honour on each
other; and do not imagine, because I do not possess them, that I despise
those advantages; these distinctions in society are necessary, and
should very seldom be broke through: yet I am an exception to my own
rule, as I am well aware, through Mrs. Meridith's kindness, I am placed
in a very different situation from what I should otherwise be in."
Mrs. Meridith's entrance now interrupted the conversation, and Anna's
new friend departed with an increased opinion of her understanding,
notwithstanding she had heard Miss Hunt's account of her birth confirmed.
The late conversation dwelt much upon Anna's mind; but (whether from
pride or delicacy she could not determine) she did not mention it to
Mrs. Meridith; but the next time she was alone with her uncle, she
repeated it to him.
"Well, my dear, I am glad of it," said he, "it will serve to keep
the balance even; don't you remember Nancy Ward's remarks on the same
occasion? They were of service to you; and these are only the same in
higher life, and, perhaps, in more refined language. Depend upon it,
it is a good thing to be made to remember ourselves sometimes; and I
doubt not, though you could not see you needed it, and thought you kept
yourself in your proper place, such helps as these were necessary when
vanity had got all her forces about you."
"I did not think I was growing vain at all," said Anna, thoughtfully.
"Not when Mr. Such-an-one asked _you_ to dance," replied he, "and you
saw that Miss Hunt had selected him for a partner; and when several
other ladies were solicitous for the honour of his hand."
"Dear uncle," replied Anna, half smiling, and half blushing, "when did
you see this? surely you don't come to the balls."
"No, indeed," said he, returning her smile, "but I know such things as
these; has it not been the case in my younger days, when at some wake,
or fair, the two rival village girls have played the same part? Oh!
believe me, the world is all alike, and what is acted at court, or in
the higher circles, has its counterpart in this country town; and a
second or third edition is brought forth in a still humbler set."
Anna smiled, and said, "I do not doubt it, my dear uncle; but tell me,
was my father an illiterate man? had he at all the appearance of a
gentleman? and was he not handsome?"
"These two last questions would not have been asked," returned her
uncle, "if you had not been at L--; but I will reply to them as well
as I am able. In the first place, he was not uneducated; he seemed to
know many authors, and was not unacquainted with public and historical
events; but he was wonderfully conceited: he called himself a gentleman
to your poor mother, though we could never hear of any noble family he
was allied to; and it was his handsome person and smart appearance, when
in this very town she met with him, twenty years ago, that first engaged
her affections."
"And what was his employment here?" asked Anna, who at this time could
scarcely bear her uncle's playful manner.
"He told us," said he, "that he was intended for an apothecary, and
had served his time to one, perhaps as a boy in the shop, to make up
medicines; but I will not say--but he must be more skilled in that art,
and more industrious, than in farming, to have had any success in it;
but the truth is, he preferred idleness to work of any kind."
"And did you never hear him say who were his relations?" inquired Anna,
still more inquisitively, and anxious to gain some intelligence of a
parent still unknown to her.
"No," replied her uncle, "he told us he was born in Yorkshire, and that
his parents were dead; but once I heard him mention a brother who was,
as he said, in business in London, but I have consulted every directory
I could since meet with, and could never find his name. But let us talk
no more about your father, in all probability he is long since dead.
Don't you want to hear some of our village news? you seem to have forgot
all your country acquaintance; aunt, and cousins, and all."
"No, dear uncle, do not say so," replied Anna, "how are they all? do
they wish for my return?"
"We begin to think your absence long," returned he, "and so does all in
the village; though your aunt and cousins, agreeable to Mrs. Meridith's
desire, are careful they should not want any comfort she would allow
them, if she was at home; and it is our little Mary's business to carry
round the weekly money to the old and infirm."
Anna said she believed they should soon return, as Mrs. Meridith had not
renewed their lodgings; and that lady soon appeared, and confirmed the
pleasing intelligence, saying, that in the course of another fortnight
they should again be at Rosewood.
The farmer gladly returned with the welcome news, and the intervening
time was spent by the ladies in _take leave_ visits, and giving two or
three routs at home, to make the visiting account even, between Mrs.
Meridith and all her acquaintance.
"And then, my dear Anna," said she, "we will return to our own
comfortable home; where, I doubt not, we shall see many happy faces
at our approach, and all the beauties of the spring to excite our
chearfulness. The gardens will be beautiful in a short time, and I doubt
not but the old men have done their best endeavours, as they term it, to
make them flourishing."