little miss austin

Eliza asked, "You want to take her to Oxford?"

"Yes, mother agreed. She's never been far away before."

"That's good. We will go to Daylesford after the New Year, and we will visit some relatives around. We will probably be back in early March." She smiled gracefully.

"Mr. Hastings?" Tom Lefroy asked puzzled.

"Warren Hastings, my godfather. My father knew him when he was with the East India Company," answered Eliza.She named her son after his godfather.

Tom was stunned: Henry mentioned that this cousin’s godfather used to be the governor of Bangladesh and India of the East India Company. After returning to China, Hastings was accused of corruption, endangering the lives of others, and killing tens of millions of people. He was responsible for the Bengal Famine and other crimes. The indictment was so long that it was read for two days. The London Supreme Court and Parliament restricted him from leaving London.This arguably the most famous political case in Britain has been tried for seven years. It was not until April this year that Hastings was acquitted.

As a law student, Tom has been studying this case since he arrived in London. It can be said that there are no law students in London who do not pay attention to this case. , The huge cost is unprecedented.

Hastings paid more than £7 in legal fees, so that his lawyers were rich enough to build mansions.After his acquittal, the East India Company provided an interest-free loan of £5 a year and an annuity of £4000 a year to cover his losses.

Eliza went on to say: "The House of Daylesford is the ancestral property of Mr. Hastings, but it was sold in the last generation, and he has always wanted to buy it back."

"Then he bought it back?" Alice asked.

"I bought it back," Eliza smiled, "and spent a lot of money to renovate it. He likes the Indian style of decoration, everything is so magnificent and colorful. When you go, you will like it, you can Lived there for a while. Jane has also been there, and she likes the library there very much." As he spoke, he glanced at Tom Lefroy meaningfully.

Alice didn't notice her cousin's pointed eyes, and imagined what Daylesford House would look like. "Is the library large?"

"It's huge. Jane stayed for two weeks and didn't want to leave."

"Where's the garden?"

"Very beautiful, by the way, and the peacock, brought back from India, you will like it."

This is rare.Peacocks are tropical animals that live in temperate regions like England and require careful maintenance.She had only heard of peacocks and elephants in the royal zoo before!So Hastings had a heated discussion with Alice about the rare animals.

Hastings has a Yunnan snub-nosed monkey brought out from China. He likes it very much and always shows it off.

Alice disdained, "What's so rare about monkeys? When I grow up, I'll go to Africa and bring back a little lion cub as a pet. Look, is your monkey more cool, or my little lion cub? !"

Hastings didn't know how to refute for a moment.

Eliza stayed with the guests for lunch, and after lunch, and chatting for a while, Henry left with his friends and sister.

"Where are we going this afternoon?" Alice asked enthusiastically.

Henry glanced at Tom who was sitting on the opposite seat, "Go to Lady Gresham's house."

Alice, who was sitting next to Henry, immediately frowned: "That eccentric old lady!"

Tom couldn't help laughing, "Alice, pay attention to your language, you don't look like a little lady."

"I'm not a 'Lady'. I can say whatever I want." "Lady" means that Mrs. Gresham's father or husband has a title, and she must be the daughter of a nobleman to be called "Lady". You must be a knight; if a married woman is not "Lady" before marriage, she can be called "Lady so-and-so" because of her husband's status after marriage.

Gresham Manor is very large. There is a rectangular pool in front of the building. It should be well maintained, but now it is full of mud, water plants, and fallen leaves. Even in winter, it emits an indescribable smell.

Mum mentioned that the pool hadn't been looked after since Mr. Gresham passed away, maybe 5 years, years of rotting leaves and bugs, and dead bodies of small animals that fell in and drowned. The dark and gloomy impression of the name.

The carriage was parked directly under the main house's door steps.

A footman came down quickly to open the door, and opened the little folding ladder under the carriage door.

Tom got out of the car first, then Henry got out of the car and helped Alice down.

The three met Mrs. Gresham, Henry and Tom went to find Mrs. Wesley, Mrs. Gresham's nephew, and Alice stayed with Mrs. Gresham.

Mrs. Gresham has the common problem of rich old women without children. She talks a lot, loves to give advice, and loves gossip very much.It’s not difficult to deal with it, just follow what she says, no need to brag, just like a 6-year-old child, he can say what he wants, or choose the interesting or boring gossip she hears Say something.After all, she is an elderly woman, and a widow doesn't have any social activities. There should not be too many things like holding a dance party. She likes to be lively, but she doesn't like too much.

Mrs. Gresham could not say that she liked Alice very much, but she thought she was cute, sweet-mouthed, and a very well-behaved little girl. If she could come to her for a few hours, it usually made her feel better.

I called the maid to bring afternoon tea, very good Chinese black tea, biscuits and small cakes, and taught Alice how to drink afternoon tea like a lady.

For example, when drinking tea, the mouth can no longer make a sound, but when stirring milk and sugar, the spoon is allowed to touch the wall of the teacup; when eating, take small bites, be gentle and even elegant, and do not open your mouth to take a big bite; do not drop food Scrap, don't do this, don't do that, blah blah blah.

Alice actually didn't know what was the use of learning this kind of eating etiquette, but since she ate other people's food, let's satisfy her desire to teach.

Mrs. Gresham was not stingy, it was just that a rich old woman always felt that others should listen to her, and she was very annoying when she talked a lot.

For example, she always felt that it was unwise for Cathy to be engaged to a poor priest, and she thought that Cathy should marry a man with a little property.But Pastor George couldn't give his daughter more dowry, so in fact, Cathy didn't have many choices.

She still respects Pastor George, but she has a bad impression of the housewife Cassandra, thinking that Cassandra is too vulgar and lacks economic acumen, and did not prepare a reasonable dowry for her daughters.

Alice felt that she was probably a little jealous of Cassandra. After all, the Austin family had 9 children, but she had none, so that she had no children of her own to inherit property.Mrs. Gresham had no children, and there was no relative in the husband's family who could inherit her property. Mother said that the property of Gresham Manor would go to Mr. Wesley in the future-this is a huge fortune!

Mother is indeed a bit vulgar, but in this society, money is absolutely impossible. Alice doesn't think there is any problem with mother's emphasis on money.If Mrs. Gresham had no money, who would entertain her?Even she won't come.

After afternoon tea, Henry has not come back.

Alice asked if she could go to the library. She wanted to borrow some books to take home and also bring some books for Jane.

Mrs. Gresham asked Jane again, asking if she still liked reading so much, and if she knew any suitable boys.

Alice thought for a while, "Does Tom count? I mean, Mr. Lefroy. He's from London, and he's on good terms with Henry."

Mrs. Gresham was a little unhappy, "What is Jane's impression of Tom?"

"Oh, Jane doesn't like him. They may have had a fight."

Mrs. Gresham was a little happy at this moment, and said dissatisfiedly: "A gentleman should not quarrel with ladies. Look at Wesley, he never quarrels with ladies."

This Alice agreed, "Mr. Wesley's character is really good."

"Do you like Wesley?"

"I like it very much. He is a gentleman, a real gentleman. It is-some people may find him boring and not very interesting."

"Oh? Who said that? Henry? Or Jane?" Mrs. Gresham asked sensitively.

"I don't remember." Alice shrugged, "But judging a person's character should not be based on how good he is at pleasing girls."

This sentence made Mrs. Gresham laugh, "Really? Then tell me, why do you like Wesley?"

"Henry also likes Mr. Wesley. The person Henry likes must be good." Alice acted like a good sister who trusted her brother.

These words were very tactful, boasting Henry, Wesley, and Tom together.Lady Gresham doesn't think her nephew is a bad young man, does she?Then Henry will have a good vision and a good character; correspondingly, his friend Tom will become a guy with a good character.

Mrs. Gresham smiled, and asked the maid to take her to the library.

Henry, Tom, and Wesley were all in the library. Seeing Alice come in, Henry asked, "Are you looking for books?" He picked up the book in his hand and shook it, "I'm picking out books for you."

Tom was sitting on the small sofa between two rows of bookshelves, holding a book in his hand, and looked up at her, "Come here, sit down."

Alice went to sit down, "What book are you reading?"

Tom turned the cover over: it was a well-known gothic adventure novel, William Beckford's Vathek.

"The first edition, now out of print."

"I've seen it. Is there any difference between the first edition and the later editions?"

Before Tom could speak, Henry coughed aside.

The author has something to say:

*Of course the Austin family is not considered rich, so Lefroy's uncle did not allow his nephew to marry a girl without a dowry.A few years later, Tom inherited his uncle's property of more than 2 pounds, and he will become the chief justice of Ireland in the future.

*Also, Charlotte Bronte, the author of "Jane Eyre", was also born in a pastor's family. The three Bronte sisters have all been teachers or tutors, and Cassandra and Jane in the Austin family have never worked.