CHAPTER I.

SinceIcandonogoodbecauseawoman, Reachconstantlyatsomethingthatisnearit. —TheMaid’sTragedy:BEAUMONTANDFLETCHER. MissBrookehadthatkindofbeautywhichseemstobethrownintoreliefbypoordress.HerhandandwristweresofinelyformedthatshecouldwearsleevesnotlessbareofstylethanthoseinwhichtheBlessedVirginappearedtoItalianpaintersandherprofileaswellasherstatureandbearingseemedtogainthemoredignityfromherplaingarments,whichbythesideofprovincialfashiongavehertheimpressivenessofafinequotationfromtheBible,—orfromoneofourelderpoets,—inaparagraphofto-day’snewspaper.Shewasusuallyspokenofasbeingremarkablyclever,butwiththeadditionthathersisterCeliahadmorecommon-sense.Nevertheless,Celiaworescarcelymoretrimmingsanditwasonlytocloseobserversthatherdressdifferedfromhersister’s,andhadashadeofcoquetryinitsarrangementsforMissBrooke’splaindressingwasduetomixedconditions,inmostofwhichhersistershared.Theprideofbeingladieshadsomethingtodowithit:theBrookeconnections,thoughnotexactlyaristocratic,wereunquestionably“good:”ifyouinquiredbackwardforagenerationortwo,youwouldnotfindanyyard-measuringorparcel-tyingforefathers—anythinglowerthananadmiraloraclergymanandtherewasevenanancestordiscernibleasaPuritangentlemanwhoservedunderCromwell,butafterwardsconformed,andmanagedtocomeoutofallpoliticaltroublesastheproprietorofarespectablefamilyestate.Youngwomenofsuchbirth,livinginaquietcountry-house,andattendingavillagechurchhardlylargerthanaparlor,naturallyregardedfripperyastheambitionofahuckster’sdaughter.Thentherewaswell-bredeconomy,whichinthosedaysmadeshowindressthefirstitemtobedeductedfrom,whenanymarginwasrequiredforexpensesmoredistinctiveofrank.Suchreasonswouldhavebeenenoughtoaccountforplaindress,quiteapartfromreligiousfeelingbutinMissBrooke’scase,religionalonewouldhavedetermineditandCeliamildlyacquiescedinallhersister’ssentiments,onlyinfusingthemwiththatcommon-sensewhichisabletoacceptmomentousdoctrineswithoutanyeccentricagitation.DorotheaknewmanypassagesofPascal’sPenseesandofJeremyTaylorbyheartandtoherthedestiniesofmankind,seenbythelightofChristianity,madethesolicitudesoffemininefashionappearanoccupationforBedlam.Shecouldnotreconciletheanxietiesofaspirituallifeinvolvingeternalconsequences,withakeeninterestingimpandartificialprotrusionsofdrapery.Hermindwastheoretic,andyearnedbyitsnatureaftersomeloftyconceptionoftheworldwhichmightfranklyincludetheparishofTiptonandherownruleofconductthereshewasenamouredofintensityandgreatness,andrashinembracingwhateverseemedtohertohavethoseaspectslikelytoseekmartyrdom,tomakeretractations,andthentoincurmartyrdomafterallinaquarterwhereshehadnotsoughtit.Certainlysuchelementsinthecharacterofamarriageablegirltendedtointerferewithherlot,andhinderitfrombeingdecidedaccordingtocustom,bygoodlooks,vanity,andmerelycanineaffection.Withallthis,she,theelderofthesisters,wasnotyettwenty,andtheyhadbothbeeneducated,sincetheywereabouttwelveyearsoldandhadlosttheirparents,onplansatoncenarrowandpromiscuous,firstinanEnglishfamilyandafterwardsinaSwissfamilyatLausanne,theirbacheloruncleandguardiantryinginthiswaytoremedythedisadvantagesoftheirorphanedcondition. ItwashardlyayearsincetheyhadcometoliveatTiptonGrangewiththeiruncle,amann