it was,” Charles added:  “only five-and-twenty miles from Uppercross, and in a very fine country:  fine part of Dorsetshire.  In the centre of some of the best preserves in the kingdom, surrounded by three great proprietors, each more careful and jealous than the other; and to two of the three at least, Charles Hayter might get a special recommendation.  Not that he will value it as he ought,” he observed, “Charles is too cool about sporting.  That’s the worst of him.”

“I am extremely glad, indeed,” cried Anne, “particularly glad that this should happen; and that of two sisters, who both deserve equally well, and who have always been such good friends, the pleasant prospect of one should not be dimming those of the other—­ that they should be so equal in their prosperity and comfort.  I hope your father and mother are quite happy with regard to both.”

“Oh! yes.  My father would be well pleased if the gentlemen were richer, but he has no other fault to find.  Money, you know, coming down with money—­two daughters at once—­it cannot be a very agreeable operation, and it streightens him as to many things.  However, I do not mean to say they have not a right to it.  It is very fit they should have daughters’ shares; and I am sure he has always been a very kind, liberal father to me.  Mary does not above half like Henrietta’s match.  She never did, you know.  But she does not do him justice, nor think enough about Winthrop.  I cannot make her attend to the value of the property.  It is a very fair match, as times go; and I have liked Charles Hayter all my life, and I shall not leave off now.”

“Such excellent parents as Mr and Mrs Musgrove,” exclaimed Anne, “should be happy in their children’s marriages.  They do everything to confer happiness, I am sure.  What a blessing to young people to be in such hands!  Your father and mother seem so totally free from all those ambitious feelings which have led to so much misconduct and misery, both in young and old.  I hope you think Louisa perfectly recovered now?”

He answered rather hesitatingly, “Yes, I believe I do; very much recovered; but she is altered; there is no running or jumping about, no laughing or dancing; it is quite different.  If one happens only to shut the door a little hard, she starts and wriggles like a young dab-chick in the water; and Benwick sits at her elbow, reading verses, or whispering to her, all day long.”

Anne could not help laughing.  “That cannot be much to your taste, I know,” said she; “but I do believe him to be an excellent young man.”

“To be sure he is.  Nobody doubts it; and I hope you do not think I am so illiberal as to want every man to have the same objects and pleasures as myself.  I have a great value for Benwick; and when one can but get him to talk, he has plenty to say.  His reading has done him no harm, for he has fought as well as read.  He is a brave fellow.  I got more acquainted with him last Monday than ever I did before.  We had a famous set-to at rat-hunting all the morning in my father’s great barns; and he played his part so well that I have liked him the better ever since.”