CHAPTER VI.

Mylady’stongueislikethemeadowblades, Thatcutyoustrokingthemwithidlehand. Nicecuttingisherfunction:shedivides Withspiritualedgethemillet-seed, Andmakesintangiblesavings. AsMr.Casaubon’scarriagewaspassingoutofthegateway,itarrestedtheentranceofaponyphaetondrivenbyaladywithaservantseatedbehind.Itwasdoubtfulwhethertherecognitionhadbeenmutual,forMr.Casaubonwaslookingabsentlybeforehimbuttheladywasquick-eyed,andthrewanodanda“Howdoyoudo?”inthenickoftime.InspiteofhershabbybonnetandveryoldIndianshawl,itwasplainthatthelodge-keeperregardedherasanimportantpersonage,fromthelowcurtsywhichwasdroppedontheentranceofthesmallphaeton. “Well,Mrs.Fitchett,howareyourfowlslayingnow?”saidthehigh-colored,dark-eyedlady,withtheclearestchiselledutterance. “Prettywellforlaying,madam,butthey’veta’entoeatingtheireggs:I’venopeaceo’mindwith’ematall.” “Oh,thecannibals!Bettersellthemcheapatonce.Whatwillyousellthemacouple?Onecan’teatfowlsofabadcharacteratahighprice.” “Well,madam,half-a-crown:Icouldn’tlet’emgo,notunder.” “Half-a-crown,thesetimes!Comenow—fortheRector’schicken-brothonaSunday.HehasconsumedalloursthatIcanspare.Youarehalfpaidwiththesermon,Mrs.Fitchett,rememberthat.Takeapairoftumbler-pigeonsforthem—littlebeauties.Youmustcomeandseethem.Youhavenotumblersamongyourpigeons.” “Well,madam,MasterFitchettshallgoandsee’emafterwork.He’sveryhotonnewsortstoobligeyou.” “Obligeme!Itwillbethebestbargainheevermade.ApairofchurchpigeonsforacoupleofwickedSpanishfowlsthateattheirowneggs!Don’tyouandFitchettboasttoomuch,thatisall!” Thephaetonwasdrivenonwardswiththelastwords,leavingMrs.Fitchettlaughingandshakingherheadslowly,withaninterjectional“Surely,surely!”—fromwhichitmightbeinferredthatshewouldhavefoundthecountry-sidesomewhatdulleriftheRector’sladyhadbeenlessfree-spokenandlessofaskinflint.Indeed,boththefarmersandlaborersintheparishesofFreshittandTiptonwouldhavefeltasadlackofconversationbutforthestoriesaboutwhatMrs.Cadwalladersaidanddid:aladyofimmeasurablyhighbirth,descended,asitwere,fromunknownearls,dimasthecrowdofheroicshades—whopleadedpoverty,pareddownprices,andcutjokesinthemostcompanionablemanner,thoughwithaturnoftonguethatletyouknowwhoshewas.Suchaladygaveaneighborlinesstobothrankandreligion,andmitigatedthebitternessofuncommutedtithe.AmuchmoreexemplarycharacterwithaninfusionofsourdignitywouldnothavefurtheredtheircomprehensionoftheThirty-nineArticles,andwouldhavebeenlesssociallyuniting. Mr.Brooke,seeingMrs.Cadwallader’smeritsfromadifferentpointofview,wincedalittlewhenhernamewasannouncedinthelibrary,wherehewassittingalone. “IseeyouhavehadourLowickCicerohere,”shesaid,seatingherselfcomfortably,throwingbackherwraps,andshowingathinbutwell-builtfigure.“Isuspectyouandhearebrewingsomebadpolities,elseyouwouldnotbeseeingsomuchofthelivelyman.Ishallinformagainstyou:rememberyouarebothsuspiciouscharacterssinceyoutookPeel’ssideabouttheCatholicBill.IshalltelleverybodythatyouaregoingtoputupforMiddlemarchontheWhigsidewhenoldPinkertonresigns,andthatCasaubonisgoingtohelpyouinanunderhandmanner:goingtobribethevoterswithpamphlets,andthrowopenthepublic-housestodistributethem.Come,confess!” “Nothingofthesort,”saidMr.Brooke,smilingandrubbinghiseye-glasses,butreallyblushingalittleattheimpeachment.“CasaubonandIdon’ttalkpoliticsmuch.Hedoesn’tcaremuchaboutthephilanthropicsideofthingspunishments,andthatkindofthing.HeonlycaresaboutChurchquestions.Thatisnotmylineofaction,youknow.” “Ra-a-thertoomuch,myfriend.Ihaveheardofyourdoings.WhowasitthatsoldhisbitoflandtothePapistsatMiddlemarch?Ibelieveyouboughtitonpurpose.YouareaperfectGuyFaux.Seeifyouarenotburntineffigythis5thofNovembercoming.Humphreywouldnotcometoquarrelwithyouaboutit,soIamcome.” “Verygood.Iwaspreparedtobepersecutedfornotpersecuting—notpersecuting,youknow.” “Thereyougo!Thatisapieceofclap-trapyouhavegotreadyforthehustings.Now,donotletthemlureyoutothehustings,mydearMr.Brooke.Amanalwaysmakesafoolofhimself,speechifying:there’snoexcusebutbeingontherightside,sothatyoucanaskablessingonyourhum