Chapter IV. Tom Is Expected

dersofteningallsurfaces,andmakingtheveryspidernetslooklikeafaerylace-workthesweet,purescentofthemeal,—allhelpedtomakeMaggiefeelthatthemillwasalittleworldapartfromheroutsideeverydaylife.Thespiderswereespeciallyasubjectofspeculationwithher.Shewonderediftheyhadanyrelativesoutsidethemill,forinthatcasetheremustbeapainfuldifficultyintheirfamilyintercourse,—afatandflouryspider,accustomedtotakehisflywelldustedwithmeal,mustsufferalittleatacousin’stablewheretheflywasaunaturel,andtheladyspidersmustbemutuallyshockedateachother’sappearance.Butthepartofthemillshelikedbestwasthetopmoststory,—thecorn-hutch,wheretherewerethegreatheapsofgrain,whichshecouldsitonandslidedowncontinually.ShewasinthehabitoftakingthisrecreationassheconversedwithLuke,towhomshewasverycommunicative,wishinghimtothinkwellofherunderstanding,asherfatherdid. Perhapsshefeltitnecessarytorecoverherpositionwithhimonthepresentoccasionfor,asshesatslidingontheheapofgrainnearwhichhewasbusyinghimself,shesaid,atthatshrillpitchwhichwasrequisiteinmill-society,— “IthinkyouneverreadanybookbuttheBible,didyou,Luke?” “Nay,Miss,an’notmucho’that,”saidLuke,withgreatfrankness.“I’mnoreader,Iaren’t.” “ButifIlentyouoneofmybooks,Luke?I’venotgotanyveryprettybooksthatwouldbeeasyforyoutoreadbutthere’s‘Pug’sTourofEurope,’—thatwouldtellyouallaboutthedifferentsortsofpeopleintheworld,andifyoudidn’tunderstandthereading,thepictureswouldhelpyoutheyshowthelooksandwaysofthepeople,andwhattheydo.TherearetheDutchmen,veryfat,andsmoking,youknow,andonesittingonabarrel.” “Nay,Miss,I’nnoopiniono’Dutchmen.Thereben’tmuchgoodi’knowin’aboutthem.” “Butthey’reourfellow-creatures,Lukeweoughttoknowaboutourfellow-creatures.” “Notmucho’fellow-creaturs,Ithink,MissallIknow—myoldmaster,aswaraknowin’man,usedtosay,sayshe,‘Ife’erIsowmywheatwi’outbrinin’,I’maDutchman,’sayshean’thatwarasmuchastosayasaDutchmanwarafool