t
their tastes; she had actually toiled herself in paying courtesy-calls
round the neighbourhood; and she had written half-a-dozen letters, and
evinced a considerable amount of successful management in procuring an
invitation for two of her cousins to join her during the week or weeks
of York's gaieties. She would have had Joanna also, but Joanna would not
leave home at the season when her father was liable to his worst
rheumatic twinges. Polly had shown herself really good-natured under her
ease and luxury, and Joanna had been a little penitent and vexed that
she did not like Polly any more than in a cousinly way. Whether Polly
was right in saying that Joanna was romantic or not, Polly had not a
particle of romance in her constitution, though much was flourishing,
fresh, and fragrant, in pure, commonplace, selfish, good-natured
worldliness, for it is a mistake to suppose that quality (without
hypocrisy) has not its attractive guise. Without knowing herself
romantic, Joanna was apt to quarrel in her own mind with cleverer girls,
accomplished girls, pleasant girls, even good girls, sensible women,
business women, nay religious women, until she feared she must be
fault-finding, satirical, sour--as her sisters protested at intervals.
Joanna, sour? Joanna, so charitable and sympathizing? Take comfort,
Joanna; the spirit is willing, though the flesh is weak.

The Ewes was in its normal condition; the parish was in its normal
condition; the excitement of Harry Jardine's return to Whitethorn had
died out; he might shoot, as it was September, or fish still, or farm,
or ride, or read as he pleased. He retained his popularity. His father
had been a popular man, fully more popular than Mr. Crawfurd of the
Ewes. Harry was even more approved, for mingling with the world had
smoothed down in him the intolerance of temper which beset his father.
What did Joanna Crawfurd say to such compromising agreeability? Joanna
was disarmed in his case; she contradicted herself, as we all do. She
had the penetration to perceive that many externals went to raise Harry
Jardine's price in the eyes of the world; externals which had little to
do with the individual man,--youth, a good presence, a fair patrimony,
freedom from appropriating ties. Strip Harry of these, render him
middle-aged, time-worn or care-worn, reduce him to poverty, marry him,
furnish him with a clamorous circle of connections, land-lock him with
children! Would the difference not b