CHAPTER 6
The first part of their journey was performed in too melancholy adisposition to be otherwise than tedious and unpleasant. But as theydrew towards the end of it, their interest in the appearance of acountry which they were to inhabit overcame their dejection, and a viewof Barton Valley as they entered it gave them cheerfulness. It was apleasant fertile spot, well wooded, and rich in pasture. After windingalong it for more than a mile, they reached their own house. A smallgreen court was the whole of its demesne in front; and a neat wicketgate admitted them into it.
As a house, Barton Cottage, though small, was comfortable and compact;but as a cottage it was defective, for the building was regular, theroof was tiled, the window shutters were not painted green, nor werethe walls covered with honeysuckles. A narrow passage led directlythrough the house into the garden behind. On each side of the entrancewas a sitting room, about sixteen feet square; and beyond them were theoffices and the stairs. Four bed-rooms and two garrets formed the restof the house. It had not been built many years and was in good repair.In comparison of Norland, it was poor and small indeed!--but the tearswhich recollection called forth as they entered the house were soondried away. They were cheered by the joy of the servants on theirarrival, and each for the sake of the others resolved to appear happy.It was very early in September; the season was fine, and from firstseeing the place under the advantage of good weather, they received animpression in its favour which was of material service in recommendingit to their lasting approbation.
The situation of the house was good. High hills rose immediatelybehind, and at no great distance on each side; some of which were opendowns, the others cultivated and woody. The village of Barton waschiefly on one of these hills, and formed a pleasant view from thecottage windows. The prospect in front was more extensive; itcommanded the whole of the valley, and reached into the country beyond.The hills which surrounded the cottage terminated the valley in thatdirection; under another name, and in another course, it branched outagain between two of the steepest of them.
With the size and furniture of the house Mrs. Dashwood was upon thewhole well satisfied; for though her former style of life rendered manyadditions to the latter indispensable, yet to add and improve was adelight to her; and she had at this time ready money enough to supplyall that was wanted of greater elegance to the apartments. As for thehouse itself, to be sure, said she, it is too small for our family,but we will make ourselves tolerably comfortable for the present, as itis too late in the year for improvements. Perhaps in the spring, if Ihave plenty of money, as I dare say I shall, we may think aboutbuilding. These parlors are both too small for such parties of ourfriends as I hope to see often collected here; and I have some thoughtsof throwing the passage into one of them with perhaps a part of theother, and so leave the remainder of that other for an entrance; this,with a new drawing room which may be easily added, and a bed-chamberand garret above, will make it a very snug little cottage. I couldwish the stairs were handsome. But one must not expect every thing;though I suppose it would be no difficult matter to widen them. Ishall see how much I am before-hand with the world in the spring, andwe will plan our improvements accordingly.
In the mean time, till all these alterations could be made from thesavings of an income of five hundred a-year by a woman who never savedin her life, they were wise enough to be contented with the house as itwas; and each of them was busy in arranging their particular concerns,and endeavoring, by placing around them books and other possessions, toform themselves a home. Marianne's pianoforte was unpacked andproperly disposed of; and Elinor's drawings were affixed to the wallsof their sitting room.
In such employments as these they were interrupted soon after breakfastthe next day by the entrance of their landlord, who called to welcomethem to Barton, and to offer them every accommodation from his ownhouse and garden in which theirs might at present be deficient. SirJohn Middleton was a good looking man about forty. He had formerlyvisited at Stanhill, but it was too long for his young cousins toremember him. His countenance was thoroughly good-humoured; and hismanners were as friendly as the style of his letter. Their arrivalseemed to afford him real satisfaction, and their comfort to be anobject of real solicitude to him. He said much of his earnest desireof their living in the most sociable terms with his family, and pressedthem so cordially to dine at Barton Park every day till they werebetter settled at home, that, though his entreaties were carried to apoint of perseverance beyond civility, they could not give offence.His kindness was not confined to words; for within an hour after heleft them, a large basket full of garden stuff and fruit arrived fromthe park, which was followed before the end of the day by a present ofgame. He insisted, moreover, on conveying all their letters to andfrom the post for them, and would not be denied the satisfaction ofsending them his newspaper every day.
Lady Middleton had sent a very civil message by him, denoting herintention of waiting on Mrs. Dashwood as soon as she could be assuredthat her visit would be no inconvenience; and as this message wasanswered by an invitation equally polite, her ladyship was introducedto them the next day.
They were, of course, very anxious to see a person on whom so much oftheir comfort at Barton must depend; and the elegance of her appearancewas favourable to their wishes. Lady Middleton was not more than sixor seven and twenty; her face was handsome, her figure tall andstriking, and her address graceful. Her manners had all the elegancewhich her husband's wanted. But they would have been improved by someshare of his frankness and warmth; and her visit was long enough todetract something from their first admiration, by shewing that, thoughperfectly well-bred, she was reserved, cold, and had nothing to say forherself beyond the most common-place inquiry or remark.
Conversation however was not wanted, for Sir John was very chatty, andLady Middleton had taken the wise precaution of bringing with her theireldest child, a fine little boy about six years old, by which meansthere was one subject always to be recurred to by the ladies in case ofextremity, for they had to enquire his name and age, admire his beauty,and ask him questions which his mother answered for him, while he hungabout her and held down his head, to the great surprise of herladyship, who wondered at his being so shy before company, as he couldmake noise enough at home. On every formal visit a child ought to beof the party, by way of provision for discourse. In the present caseit took up ten minutes to determine whether the boy were most like hisfather or mother, and in what particular he resembled either, for ofcourse every body differed, and every body was astonished at theopinion of the others.
An opportunity was soon to be given to the Dashwoods of debating on therest of the children, as Sir John would not leave the house withoutsecuring their promise of dining at the park the next day.