The de Bourgh ladies filled their diaries with such events as, “Monday, The Opera; Tuesday, private concerts at Mrs. B———and L. V———‘s. Wednesday, dinner at the house of Lady G———, followed by an Italian singer at Lady de R———‘s, where the drawing-room was a dreadful squash. Thursday, music at home, and supper at Lady M———‘s; Friday, cards. Saturday, Opera. Monday, we arrived home from the ball at half-past six; we were very tired, cross, and dissatisfied. I heard that the rest of Lady G———‘s party left by half-past seven, where they breakfasted before they went to bed. The next day was breakfast all the morning long, & very jolly they were; we had not been invited to stay. We had tea with Lady deF———and heard all about it after-wards. Had a few of Lady M———‘s acquaintance in for an informal supper. I had the misfortune to be seated next to a man whose conversation was as uncomfortable as his cloathes appeared to be. Thursday: Ball, arrived about nine. The ball-room was elabourately decorated, hung all-over with white Calico, which made all the ladies look dirty. 160-170 people, many men; dances were too long and too crowded, which made it unpleasant for those dancing, but I was not put to the inconvenience by being asked.”

CHAP. 7.

WITH ANY NUMBER of predictably poor second sons at-hand, it may reasonably be considered wonderful that five years’ time had found Anne unable to tempt even a single suitor. She was certainly prettier than her mother, and did not have the disadvantage of height to discourage some portion of the gallants. True, she was rather small and thin, but it is not an uncommon thing for a wife to be on a much smaller scale than her husband (nor, in Lady Catherine’s judgement, had the contrary-wise been deemed a deterrent.) She had hair of a pretty chestnut colour, courtesy of Sir Lewis, and, although there was little of it, the deficiencies of one’s own hair had long been a defect susceptible to remedy. It might be supposed to be her teeth, if an ill-favoured smile could deter the less desperate of suitors; but no, on the rare occasions when she spoke, a set of fine, even teeth could be briefly discerned by the acute. Her gowns were of the best silks and of the latest fashion, unblemished by such excessive decoration and immodesty as marked out those women whose age or poverty had made them reckless. Not a word could be uttered as to any history of impropriety, as she had never committed activity of any kind, and so was free from any suspicion of scandal. With such a catalogue of virtues as Anne possessed, what unconquerable disadvantage could endure so as to have kept her safe from even the most determined admirers for the astonishing interval of five years?