Other balls sent her home in a state of weariness, disgust, and contempt
towards every one, but this one had resulted in displeasure with
herself, yet in much interest and excitement; and, oh, passing strange!
through that same frivolous military society.
Indeed the military society was soon in better odour with her than the
clerical. She had been making strenuous efforts to get to St. Herbert's,
with Mr. Mitchell, for some time past, but the road was in a state
of being repaired, and the coachman was determined against taking his
horses there. As to going by train, that was equally impossible, since
he would still less have driven her to the station, finally, Rachel
took the resolute stop of borrowing Fanny's pony carriage, and driving
herself and the clergyman to the station, where she was met by Mrs.
Morris, the mother of one of the girls, to whom she had promised such a
visit, as it had been agreed that it would be wisest not to unsettle the
scholars by Christmas holidays.
The F. U. E. E. was in perfect order; the little girls sat upon a bench
with their copies before them, Mrs. Rawlins in the whitest of caps
presided over them, and Mr. Mauleverer was very urbane, conducting
the visitors over the house himself, and expatiating on his views of
cleanliness, ventilation, refinement, and equality of cultivation, while
Mrs. Rawlins remained to entertain Mrs. Morris. Nothing could be more
practical and satisfactory; some admirable drawings of the children's
were exhibited, and their conduct was said to be excellent; except, Mr.
Mauleverer remarked unwillingly, that there was a tendency about little
Mary to fancy herself injured, and he feared that she was not always
truthful; but these were childish faults, that he hoped would pass away
with further refinement, and removal from the lower influences of her
home.
After this, Rachel was not surprised that poor, ignorant, and always
deplorable Mrs. Morris did not seem in raptures with the state of her
child, but more inclined to lament not having seen more of her, and
not having her at home. That was quite in accordance with peasant
shortsightedness and ingratitude, but it was much more disappointing
that Mr. Mitchell said little or nothing of approbation; asked her a
few questions about her previous knowledge of Mr. Mauleverer and Mrs.
Rawlins, and when she began to talk of arranging for some one or two of
his London orphans, thanked her rather shortly, but said there was no
way of managing it. It was evident that he was quite as prejudiced as
others of his clerical brethren, and the more Rachel read of current
literature, the more she became convinced of their bondage to views into
which they durst not examine, for fear honesty should compel them to
assert their conclusions.
She had hoped better things from the stranger, but she began to be
persuaded that all her former concessions to the principles infused in
her early days were vain entanglements, and that it was merely weakness
and unwillingness to pain her mother that prevented her from breaking
through them.