CHAPTER XI.
John Campbell continued much pleased with his situation, and all hisleisure hours were spent with Mrs. Meridith and Anna, if they were athome; and when they were not, Syphax and Bella were his companions. Ashe was known to be countenanced by Mrs. Meridith, he would have beeninvited wherever she was, had not his father positively forbade it; andas Mr. Mansell's was a very domestic family, he was not without agreeablesociety in their house. Whenever they dined at Mrs. Meridith's he wasof the party, and joined what little company they had at home; and thiswas all the introduction to the world John met with; nor did he wishfor more, as the habits of industry in which he was brought up, made himattentive to business; and he was very desirous of shewing his fatherthat the money advanced for him would not be thrown away.
Anna became acquainted with several young people in the town, some ofwhom she found could be pleasing companions, when the conversation tooka different turn than the amusements of the preceding evening; whileothers could talk of nothing else.
There was only one family who were of equal consequence in theneighbourhood with Mrs. Meridith, but of very different sentiments; andwith these Anna could not converse as freely as with the rest of heracquaintance. The story of her birth Mrs. Meridith had not endeavouredto conceal; but it did not appear to affect the behaviour of any one,except the Miss Hunts, who, being distantly allied to nobility, couldnot bear the idea of a plebeian's daughter being on a footing withthemselves.
"Her father was nobody," said they to those within their circle, "andI have heard that he is even now a common beggar; and Mrs. Meridith'schoosing to adopt her for a daughter, is no reason she should force herupon all her acquaintance."
"She certainly is a very romantic woman; but my mamma says, and I thinkso too," said the eldest Miss Hunt, "that as she was so fond of thefarmers, and country people, she had better have continued among them;and not, after confining herself to their society for ten or twelveyears, have come forth again, with an attempt to introduce one of_their_ family into the world, whom they say she has educated with allthe fine sentiments and benevolent ideas which she herself possesses."
Some of Anna's friends now endeavoured to take her part, by saying shewas very well-bred, and had a good understanding; and that she was notat all vain of Mrs. Meridith's favours.
"I wonder at that," said the young lady, "for mamma says when she calledat Mrs. Meridith's, after she had taken her, there was nothing talkedof but the _little Anna_. Mrs. Meridith did not return mamma's call fornearly a twelvemonth afterwards; and refused every invitation whichmamma sent her; so much taken up with the education of her darling, Isuppose, and she has now brought her forth to astonish society."
Those of Miss Hunt's party who wished to please her, laughed at thissally of wit, and those of Anna's friends left them, to join her andMrs. Meridith, who were at another part of the room.
It was not long before Anna perceived some of her acquaintance changetheir behaviour towards her, for Miss Hunt was of too much consequencenot to have her opinion regarded, by those who expected moreentertainments at the house of her parents, than at Mrs. Meridith's;whom they doubted not would soon return to Rosewood, and there continuethe same secluded life she had lately lived: so that Miss Hunt's partyenlarged, while Anna's lessened; nor did she continue ignorant of thecause. One of her young friends, who still regarded her as worthynotice, took an opportunity to hint at what Miss Hunt had said; nor didAnna affect to misunderstand her.
"I know," said she, "that I am indebted to Mrs. Meridith's kindness forevery advantage I possess, and that I have no claim to the title of herdaughter; my birth was obscure, and my father, I fear, little worthyof that name; but my mother deserved a better fate, and her family wasrespected 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 dohonour to the highest station, was a father to me, till Mrs. Meridithtook me under her care, when I was too young to solicit such favour, oreven to think of it; nor have I used any arts to have it continued; butthe sense I have of her kindness ought to make me grateful; nor can Ithink 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 greatsatisfaction to known he was become a better man; and then, let hissituation 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, "butshould not you be ashamed to find him a beggar?"
"Not unless his own ill conduct had made him so," replied Anna, "but ifunavoidable poverty, or ill health, had reduced him to that state, heshould 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 herkindness to me is no reason she should extend her benevolence to myfather; though she never sees any body in want without relieving them.But the education she has given me, would enable me to gain a supportfor him; and in _this_ light she _would_ prevent it."
"Well, I must again say you are an extraordinary girl," replied hervisitor, "and I like you better than ever; such sentiments as your'sdeserve regard--how superior to the vain boast of birth and title!"
"Birth and title without these opinions lose half their value in myestimation," replied Anna, "but with them they reflect honour on eachother; and do not imagine, because I do not possess them, that I despisethose advantages; these distinctions in society are necessary, andshould very seldom be broke through: yet I am an exception to my ownrule, as I am well aware, through Mrs. Meridith's kindness, I am placedin a very different situation from what I should otherwise be in."
Mrs. Meridith's entrance now interrupted the conversation, and Anna'snew 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 frompride or delicacy she could not determine) she did not mention it toMrs. Meridith; but the next time she was alone with her uncle, sherepeated it to him.
"Well, my dear, I am glad of it," said he, "it will serve to keepthe balance even; don't you remember Nancy Ward's remarks on the sameoccasion? They were of service to you; and these are only the same inhigher life, and, perhaps, in more refined language. Depend upon it,it is a good thing to be made to remember ourselves sometimes; and Idoubt not, though you could not see you needed it, and thought you keptyourself in your proper place, such helps as these were necessary whenvanity 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 yousaw that Miss Hunt had selected him for a partner; and when severalother ladies were solicitous for the honour of his hand."
"Dear uncle," replied Anna, half smiling, and half blushing, "when didyou see this? surely you don't come to the balls."
"No, indeed," said he, returning her smile, "but I know such things asthese; 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 inthe higher circles, has its counterpart in this country town; and asecond 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 agentleman? and was he not handsome?"
"These two last questions would not have been asked," returned heruncle, "if you had not been at L--; but I will reply to them as wellas I am able. In the first place, he was not uneducated; he seemed toknow many authors, and was not unacquainted with public and historicalevents; but he was wonderfully conceited: he called him
self a gentlemanto your poor mother, though we could never hear of any noble family hewas allied to; and it was his handsome person and smart appearance, whenin this very town she met with him, twenty years ago, that first engagedher affections."
"And what was his employment here?" asked Anna, who at this time couldscarcely bear her uncle's playful manner.
"He told us," said he, "that he was intended for an apothecary, andhad served his time to one, perhaps as a boy in the shop, to make upmedicines; 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 aparent still unknown to her.
"No," replied her uncle, "he told us he was born in Yorkshire, and thathis 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 directoryI could since meet with, and could never find his name. But let us talkno 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 forgotall your country acquaintance; aunt, and cousins, and all."
"No, dear uncle, do not say so," replied Anna, "how are they all? dothey wish for my return?"
"We begin to think your absence long," returned he, "and so does all inthe village; though your aunt and cousins, agreeable to Mrs. Meridith'sdesire, are careful they should not want any comfort she would allowthem, if she was at home; and it is our little Mary's business to carryround the weekly money to the old and infirm."
Anna said she believed they should soon return, as Mrs. Meridith had notrenewed their lodgings; and that lady soon appeared, and confirmed thepleasing intelligence, saying, that in the course of another fortnightthey should again be at Rosewood.
The farmer gladly returned with the welcome news, and the interveningtime was spent by the ladies in _take leave_ visits, and giving two orthree 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 owncomfortable home; where, I doubt not, we shall see many happy facesat our approach, and all the beauties of the spring to excite ourchearfulness. The gardens will be beautiful in a short time, and I doubtnot but the old men have done their best endeavours, as they term it, tomake them flourishing."