it hardly possible to prevent their making two distinct parties;—with
so much perseverance in judging and behaving ill did Mrs. Elton engross
Jane Fairfax and slight herself. She and Mrs. Weston were obliged to be
almost always either talking together or silent together. Mrs. Elton
left them no choice. If Jane repressed her for a little time, she soon
began again; and though much that passed between them was in a
half-whisper, especially on Mrs. Elton’s side, there was no avoiding a
knowledge of their principal subjects: The post-office—catching
cold—fetching letters—and friendship, were long under discussion; and
to them succeeded one, which must be at least equally unpleasant to
Jane—inquiries whether she had yet heard of any situation likely to
suit her, and professions of Mrs. Elton’s meditated activity.
“Here is April come!” said she, “I get quite anxious about you. June
will soon be here.”
“But I have never fixed on June or any other month—merely looked
forward to the summer in general.”
“But have you really heard of nothing?”
“I have not even made any inquiry; I do not wish to make any yet.”
“Oh! my dear, we cannot begin too early; you are not aware of the
difficulty of procuring exactly the desirable thing.”
“I not aware!” said Jane, shaking her head; “dear Mrs. Elton, who can
have thought of it as I have done?”
“But you have not seen so much of the world as I have. You do not know
how many candidates there always are for the _first_ situations. I saw
a vast deal of that in the neighbourhood round Maple Grove. A cousin of
Mr. Suckling, Mrs. Bragge, had such an infinity of applications; every
body was anxious to be in her family, for she moves in the first
circle. Wax-candles in the schoolroom! You may imagine how desirable!
Of all houses in the kingdom Mrs. Bragge’s is the one I would most wish
to see you in.”
“Colonel and Mrs. Campbell are to be in town again by midsummer,” said
Jane. “I must spend some time with them; I am sure they will want
it;—afterwards I may probably be glad to dispose of myself. But I would
not wish you to take the trouble of making any inquiries at present.”
“Trouble! aye, I know your scruples. You are afraid of giving me
trouble; but I assure you, my dear Jane, the Campbells can hardly be
more interested about you than I am. I shall write to Mrs. Partridge in
a day or two, and shall give her a strict charge to be on the look-out
for any thing eligible.”
“Thank you, but I would rather you did not mention the subject to her;
...continua
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