Chapter 4

When Anna and Castiel were alone, the former, who had been cautious in her praise of Mrs. Bradbury before, expressed to her brother just how very much she admired him. "She is just what a young woman ought to be," said she, "sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners!—so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!" "She is also handsome," replied Castiel, "which a young woman ought likewise to be, if she possibly can. Her character is thereby complete." "I was very much flattered by her asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment." "Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference between us. Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never. What could be more natural than his asking you again? She could not help seeing that you were about five times as pretty as every other woman in the room. No thanks to her gallantry for that. Well, she certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like her. You have liked many a stupider person." "Dear Cas!" "Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in your life." "I would not wish to be hasty in censuring anyone; but I always speak what I think." "I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder. With your good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough—one meets with it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design—to take the good of everybody's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad—belongs to you alone. And so you like this woman's sisters, too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his." "Certainly not—at first. But they are very pleasing women when you converse with them. Miss Bradbury is to live with her sister, and keep her house; and I am much mistaken if we shall not find a very charming neighbour in her." Castiel listened in silence, but was not convinced; their behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in general; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than his sister, and with a judgement too unassailed by any attention to himselff, he was very little disposed to approve them. They were in fact very fine people; not deficient in good humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of making themselves agreeable when they chose it, but proud and conceited. They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank, and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others. They were of a respectable family in the north of England; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their brother's fortune and their own had been acquired by trade. Mrs. Bradbury inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundred thousand pounds from her father, who had intended to purchase an estate, but did not live to do it. Mrs. Bradbury intended it likewise, and sometimes made choice of her county; but as she was now provided with a good house and the liberty of a manor, it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of her temper, whether she might not spend the remainder of her days at Netherfield, and leave the next generation to purchase. Her sisters were anxious for her having an estate of her own; but, though she was now only established as a tenant, Miss Bradbury was by no means unwilling to preside at her table—nor was Mrs. Hurst, who had married a man of more fashion than fortune, less disposed to consider his house as her home when it suited her. Mrs. Bradbury had not been of age two years, when she was tempted by an accidental recommendation to look at Netherfield House. she did look at it, and into it for half-an-hour—was pleased with the situation and the principal rooms, satisfied with what the owner said in its praise, and took it immediately. Between her and Winchester there was a very steady friendship, in spite of great opposition of character. Bradbury was endeared to Winchester by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to her own, and though with her own he never appeared dissatisfied. On the strength of Winchester's regard, Bradbury had the firmest reliance, and of his judgement the highest opinion. In understanding, Winchester was the superior. Bradbury was by no means deficient, but Winchester was clever. He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners, though well-bred, were not inviting. In that respect his friend had greatly the advantage. Bradbury was sure of being liked wherever she appeared, Winchester was continually giving offense. The manner in which they spoke of the Meryton assembly was sufficiently characteristic. Bradbury had never met with more pleasant people or prettier girls in her life; everybody had been most kind and attentive to she; there had been no formality, no stiffness; she had soon felt acquainted with all the room; and, as to Mr Novak, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Winchester, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure. Mr Novak he acknowledged to be pretty, but he smiled too much. Mrs. Hurst and her sister allowed it to be so—but still they admired him and liked him, and pronounced him to be an angel, and one whom they would not object to know more of. Mr Novak was therefore established as an angel, and their brother felt authorized by such commendation to think of him as he chose.