CHAPTER XV
The next days were productive of constant bustle and amusement for the actors, even if others of the party felt only boredom and inconvenience. Elinor was against the whole scheme. It was taking up time which could have been more rationally employed. The performance was sure to be inferior, and the weather would probably be bad. The gentlemen were all too busy to fish with Edward, and she herself was pressed into service to help with the arrangement of the dresses. They had come to Barton hoping for some rest and refreshment, and found themselves in all this turmoil. It was true that there was no one at liberty to entertain Edward Ferrars, and it was fortunate that he was much more fond of his own society than that of any other creature with the exception of his wife, and possibly of his brother-in-law, Colonel Brandon, so did not feel this to be an evil. His stay at Barton must necessarily be short. He had only arranged for his duty to be taken for one Sunday, and he must return to his parish. Elinor was to stay on. This had not been part of the original plan, but there were several reasons for the decision. Young Master Ferrars was safely established at the mansion-house at Delaford under the care of Marianne and the nurse who attended to Master Brandon. Edward himself wished his wife to have the pleasure of a longer stay with her mother. Elinor was convinced that she could be of use at Barton in discouraging in Mrs. Dashwood any inclination to take a romantic view of Commander Pennington’s advances. She was not without hope of exercising a wise influence on Margaret. Edward was very much against her attempting any such thing, and gave it as his opinion that no good came of interference; but Elinor would not allow that wise suggestion could be classed as interference, and she reminded Edward that he himself had experienced the folly and misery of a premature love affair. All of which was moderately convincing to Edward, and entirely so to Elinor herself. She would stay on till the early days of September, for Sir John Middleton was then to join Colonel Brandon at Delaford for some shooting, and would take her in his carriage all the way. Margaret was glad that her mother had her sister’s company while she herself was so much engaged with the theatricals, and did not connect her prolonged visit with any of her own hopes or desires.
In addition to the pleasure of having Elinor with her, Mrs. Dashwood was very well amused by the theatricals. Margaret brought her so entertaining a description of all that went on that to the pleasure of listening to a lively recital was added the happiness of hoping that the impression made by Commander Pennington on Margaret’s mind was fast fading away. She looked so happy and cheerful that it was reasonable to suppose her heart-free. It was not in Mrs. Dashwood’s nature to fear when it was possible to hope.
Margaret was, in fact, enjoying the theatricals excessively. It was essential to her happiness at present to have every moment of the day occupied. Thinking did not suit her at all. Too soon thinking gave way to longing, and longing to unreasonable fears. She was better employed in learning her lines, practising her song, making her dress and helping the other members of the party to do the same. She had not a long part herself, and for this reason she was in constant demand to hear others recite theirs. The offer to hear hers in return could always be made, with small risk of acceptance. Walter Carey in particular found no one so kind and inspiring.
Sir John and Miss Steele had no concern but their dresses, which were to be as gay and fantastic as possible, and the five children had to be fitted with masks and taught some sort of order in their disorderly rout, that they might not hurt themselves or each other.
Walter was a careless stage-manager, inclined to think that everything would settle itself, and that the chief parts were all that concerned him. But, if the play was to be anything but an absurdity, these minor matters must receive attention, and there was no one so suited for the task or so willing to be employed as Margaret. In everything she was ably assisted by the Careys’ governess, Miss Fairfield, who had her own little charges well in hand, and through them was able to exercise some sort of control over the little Middletons, who were constantly surprising themselves by doing what they were told.
Lady Middleton was concerned as to who should and who should not be asked to view the performance—the task of selection being made no easier by Sir John inviting every one he met—and also as to what should be the nature of the refreshment to be provided. She could not be satisfied with anything short of complete elegance, and, on asking Walter Carey how this had been managed at Oxford, was disgusted to hear that he thought there had been something handed round. Perhaps some beer or cider. He was not sure!
Mrs. Jennings thought it all rather tedious. She could not find that there was a word of love in the play from beginning to end. It was all long speeches and brothers going about after their sister. Such foolishness! The speeches had been severely cut down, they said, but they were still a great deal too long to her mind, and not what anyone would say. Very different from Mr. Sheridan’s plays, where you could think it was yourself talking half the time! She thought they would all have enjoyed a few balls and picnics much more than all this solemn saying of poetry over to each other in corners. She had given her old red satin to Nancy Steele to make a good appearance in the rout, but beyond that she could not find anything to do to help, and she thought they had best get on without her. She would sit by Mrs. Ferrars in the audience and quiz them all with her and Mrs. Dashwood.
Perhaps the children were more completely happy than anyone. Their part was just to make a noise and wear queer dresses, and, if children cannot be pleased with that, they are very strange children indeed, and, though Lady Middleton might believe hers to be exceptional, they proved themselves in this to be very like the little Careys.
As to the rest of the company, the Lady and Comus were thoroughly pleased with their own parts, though often despondent about the others. The Brothers were sometimes assailed by doubts. Did they, in fact, look as much like two young men as they hoped? Henry Whitaker found his part of attendant Spirit very hard stuff to learn, Sir John occasionally had a hankering after the part of Comus, who had some very good things to say, and Miss Nancy Steele was not always sure that even wearing red satin made a member of the rout one of the principal figures in the play.
Margaret’s task was to encourage all these, to keep some control over the rout, to advise the Careys’ governess as to the music, and to be sure that Mr. Atherton had his prompter’s copy correctly marked with cuts and pauses.