her reach and after being at some pains to get a view of the house and observing that it was a sort of building which she could not look at but respect she added now where is the avenue the house fronts the east i perceive the avenue therefore most be at the back of it mr talked of the west front yes it is exactly behind the house begins at a little distance and for half a mile to the extremity of the grounds you may see something of it here � � of the more distant trees it is oak entirely park miss now speak with decided tion of what she had known nothing about when mr had asked her opinion and her spirits were in as happy a flutter as vanity and pride could furnish when they drove up to the spacious stone steps before the principal entrance chapter ix mr was at the door to receive his fair lady and the whole party were welcomed by him with due attention in the drawing room they were met with cordiality by the mother and miss had all the distinction with each that she could wish after the business of arriving was over it was first necessary to eat and the doors were thrown open to admit then through one or two rooms into the appointed dining parlour where a was prepared with abundance and elegance much was said and much was ate and all went well the particular object of the day was then considered how would mr like in what manner would he choose to take a survey of the grounds mr mentioned his mr suggested the greater of some cut which might convey more than two to be themselves of the advantage of other eyes and other judgments might be an evil even beyond the loss of present pleasure mrs proposed that the chaise should be taken also but this was scarcely received as an the young ladies neither smiled nor spoke her next proposition of the house to such of them as had not been there before was more acceptable for miss was pleased to have its size and all were glad to be doing something the whole party rose accordingly and under mrs guidance were shown through a number of park all and many large and amply in tbe taste of fifty years back with shining floors solid mahogany rich marble and carving each handsome in its way of pictures there were abundance and some few good but the larger part were family traits no longer any thing to any body but mrs who had been at great pains to learn all that the housekeeper could teach and was now almost equally well qualified to show the house on the present occasion she addressed herself chiefly to miss and but there was no comparison in the of their attention for miss who had seen scores of great houses and cared for none of them had only the appearance of listening while to whom every thing was almost as interesting as it was new attended with unaffected earnestness to all that mrs rush worth could relate of the family in former times its rise and grandeur visits and loyal efforts delighted to connect any thing with history already known or warm her imagination with scenes of the past the situation of the house excluded the possibility of much prospect from any of the rooms and while and some of the others were attending mrs henry was looking grave and shaking his head at the windows every room on the west front looked across a lawn to the beginning of the avenue immediately beyond tall iron and gates having visited many more rooms than could be supposed to be of any other use than to contribute to the window tax and find employment for now said mrs we are coming to the chapel which properly we ought to enter from above and look down upon but as we are quite among friends i will take you in this way if you will excuse me they entered s imagination had prepared her for something than a mere spacious room fitted up for the purpose of devotion � with nothing more striking or more solemn than the profusion of mahogany and the crimson velvet cushions appearing over the ledge of family i am di � d m park she in a low to this is not my of a chapel there is nothing awful here nothing melancholy nothing grand here are no no arches no no no cousin to be by the night wind of heaven no signs that a monarch sleeps below you forget how lately all this has been built and for how confined a purpose compared with the old of castles and it was only for the private use of the family they have been buried i sup pose in the parish church there you must look for the the achievements it was foolish of me not to think of all that but i am disappointed mrs began her relation this chapel was fitted up as you see it in james the second s time before that period as i understand the were only and there is some reason to think that the and cushions of the pulpit and family seat were only purple cloth but this is not quite certain it is a handsome chapel and was formerly in constant use both morning and evening prayers were always read in it by the domestic within the memory of many but the late mr left it every generation has its improvements said miss with a smile to mrs was gone to repeat her lesson to mr and and miss remained in a cluster together it is a pity cried that the custom should have been it was a valuable part of former times there is something in a chapel and so much in character 