Chapter VII. Enter the Aunts and Uncles

ief,frommischiefintodefiance,andfromdefianceintosulkinessorwhenhismotherabsolutelyrefusedtolethimhaveatailedcoatthat“half,”althougheveryotherboyofhisagehadgoneintotailsalready?Surelyifwecouldrecallthatearlybitterness,andthedimguesses,thestrangelyperspectivelessconceptionoflife,thatgavethebitternessitsintensity,weshouldnotpooh-poohthegriefsofourchildren. “MissMaggie,you’retocomedownthisminute,”saidKezia,enteringtheroomhurriedly.“Lawks!whathaveyoubeena-doing?Ineverseesuchafright!” “Don’t,Kezia,”saidMaggie,angrily.“Goaway!” “ButItellyouyou’retocomedown,Miss,thisminuteyourmothersaysso,”saidKezia,goinguptoMaggieandtakingherbythehandtoraiseherfromthefloor. “Getaway,KeziaIdon’twantanydinner,”saidMaggie,resistingKezia’sarm.“Isha’n’tcome.” “Oh,well,Ican’tstay.I’vegottowaitatdinner,”saidKezia,goingoutagain. “Maggie,youlittlesilly,”saidTom,peepingintotheroomtenminutesafter,“whydon’tyoucomeandhaveyourdinner?There’slotso’goodies,andmothersaysyou’retocome.Whatareyoucryingfor,youlittlespooney?” Oh,itwasdreadful!Tomwassohardandunconcernedifhehadbeencryingonthefloor,Maggiewouldhavecriedtoo.Andtherewasthedinner,soniceandshewassohungry.Itwasverybitter. ButTomwasnotaltogetherhard.Hewasnotinclinedtocry,anddidnotfeelthatMaggie’sgriefspoiledhisprospectofthesweetsbuthewentandputhisheadnearher,andsaidinalower,comfortingtone,— “Won’tyoucome,then,Magsie?ShallIbringyouabito’puddingwhenI’vehadmine,andacustardandthings?” “Ye-e-es,”saidMaggie,beginningtofeellifealittlemoretolerable. “Verywell,”saidTom,goingaway.Butheturnedagainatthedoorandsaid,“Butyou’dbettercome,youknow.There’sthedessert,—nuts,youknow,andcowslipwine.” Maggie’stearshadceased,andshelookedreflectiveasTomlefther.Hisgoodnaturehadtakenoffthekeenestedgeofhersuffering,andnutswithcowslipwinebegantoasserttheirlegitimateinfluence. Slowlysherosefromamongstherscatteredlocks,andslowlyshemadeherwaydownstairs.Thenshestoodleaningwithoneshoulderagainsttheframeofthedining-parlourdoor,peepinginwhenitwasajar.ShesawTomandLucywithanemptychairbetweenthem,andtherewerethecustardsonaside-tableitwastoomuch.Sheslippedinandwenttowardtheemptychair.Butshehadnosoonersatdownthansherepentedandwishedherselfbackagain. MrsTullivergavealittlescreamasshesawher,andfeltsucha“turn”thatshedroppedthelargegravy-spoonintothedish,withthemostseriousresultstothetable-cloth.ForKeziahadnotbetrayedthereasonofMaggie’srefusaltocomedown,notlikingtogivehermistressashockinthemomentofcarving,andMrsTulliverthoughttherewasnothingworseinquestionthanafitofperverseness,whichwasinflictingitsownpunishmentbydeprivingMaggieofhalfherdinner. MrsTulliver’sscreammadealleyesturntowardsthesamepointasherown,andMaggie’scheeksandearsbegantoburn,whileuncleGlegg,akind-looking,white-hairedoldgentleman,said,— “Heyday!whatlittlegell’sthis?Why,Idon’tknowher.Isitsomelittlegellyou’vepickedupintheroad,Kezia?” “Why,she’sgoneandcutherhairherself,”saidMrTulliverinanundertonetoMrDeane,laughingwithmuchenjoyment.“Didyoueverknowsuchalittlehussyasitis?” “Why,littlemiss,you’vemadeyourselflookveryfunny,”saidUnclePullet,andperhapsheneverinhislifemadeanobservationwhichwasfelttobesolacerating. “Fie,forshame!”saidauntGlegg,inherloudest,severesttoneofreproof.“Littlegellsascuttheirownhairshouldbewhippedandfedonbreadandwater,—notcomeandsitdownwiththeirauntsanduncles.” “Ay,ay,”saiduncleGlegg,meaningtogiveaplayfulturntothisdenunciation,“shemustbesenttojail,Ithink,andthey’llcuttherestofherhairoffthere,andmakeitalleven.” “She’smorelikeagypsynorever,”saidauntPullet,inapityingtone“it’sverybadluck,sister,asthegellshouldbesobrowntheboy’sfairenough.Idoubtit’llstandinherwayi’lifetobesobrown.” “She’sanaughtychild,as’llbreakhermother’sheart,”saidMrsTulliver,withthetearsinhereyes. Maggieseemedtobelisteningtoachorusofreproachandderision.Herfirstflushcamefromanger,whichgaveheratransientpowerofdefiance,andTomthoughtshewasbravingitout,supportedbytherecentappearanceofthepuddingandcustard.Underthisimpression,hewhispered,“Oh,my!Maggie,Itoldyouyou’dcatchit.”Hemeanttobefriendly,butMaggiefeltconvincedthatTomwasrejoicinginherignominy.Herfeeblepowerofdefianceleftherinaninstant,herheartswelled,andgettingupfromherchair,sherantoherfather,hidherfaceonhisshoulder,andburstoutintoloudsobbing. “Come,come,mywench,”saidherfather,soothingly,puttinghisarmroundher,“nevermindyouwasi’therighttocutitoffifitplaguedyougiveovercryingfather’lltakeyourpart.” Deliciouswordsoftenderness!Maggieneverforgotanyofthesemomentswhenherfather“tookherpart”shekepttheminherheart,andthoughtofthemlongyearsafter,wheneveryoneelsesaidthatherfatherhaddoneveryillbyhischildren. “Howyourhusbanddoesspoilthatchild,Bessy!”saidMrsGlegg,inaloud“aside,”toMrsTulliver.“It’llbetheruinofher,ifyoudon’ttakecare.Myfatherneverbroughthischildrenupso,elseweshouldha’beenadifferentsorto’familytowhatweare.” MrsTulliver’sdomesticsorrowsseemedatthismomenttohavereachedthepointatwhichinsensibilitybegins.Shetooknonoticeofhersister’sremark,butthrewbackhercapstringsanddispensedthepudding,inmuteresignation. WiththedesserttherecameentiredeliveranceforMaggie,forthechildrenweretoldtheymighthavetheirnutsandwineinthesummer-house,sincethedaywassomildandtheyscamperedoutamongthebuddingbushesofthegardenwiththealacrityofsmallanimalsgettingfromunderaburningglass. MrsTulliverhadherspecialreasonforthispermission:nowthedinnerwasdespatched,andeveryone’sminddisengaged,itwastherightmomenttocommunicateMrTulliver’sintentionconcerningTom,anditwouldbeaswellforTomhimselftobeabsent.Thechildrenwereusedtohearthemselvestalkedofasfreelyasiftheywerebirds,andcouldunderstandnothing,howevertheymightstretchtheirnecksandlistenbutonthisoccasionMrsTullivermanifestedanunusualdiscretion,becauseshehadrecentlyhadevidencethatthegoingtoschooltoaclergymanwasasorepointwithTom,wholookedatitasverymuchonaparwithgoingtoschooltoaconstable.MrsTulliverhadasighingsensethatherhusbandwoulddoasheliked,whateversisterGleggsaid,orsisterPulleteitherbutatleasttheywouldnotbeabletosay,ifthethingturnedoutill,thatBessyhadfalleninwithherhusband’sfollywithoutlettingherownfriendsknowawordaboutit. “MrTulliver,”shesaid,interruptingherhusbandinhistalkwithMrDeane,“it’stimenowtotellthechildren’sauntsanduncleswhatyou’rethinkingofdoingwithTom,isn’tit?” “Verywell,”saidMrTulliver,rathersharply,“I’venoobjectionstotellanybodywhatImeantodowithhim.I’vesettled,”headded,lookingtowardMrGleggandMrDeane,—“I’vesettledtosendhimtoaMrStelling,aparson,downatKing’sLorton,there,—anuncommoncleverfellow,Iunderstand,as’llputhimuptomostthings.” Therewasarustlingdemonstrationofsurpriseinthecompany,suchasyoumayhaveobservedinacountrycongregationwhentheyhearanallusiontotheirweek-dayaffairsfromthepulpit.ItwasequallyastonishingtotheauntsandunclestofindaparsonintroducedintoMrTulliver’sfamilyarrangements.AsforunclePullet,hecouldhardlyhavebeenmorethoroughlyobfuscatedifMrTulliverhadsaidthathewasgoingtosendTomtotheLordChancellorforunclePulletbelongedtothatextinctclassofBritishyeomanwho,dressedingoodbroadcloth,paidhighratesandtaxes,wenttochurch,andateaparticularlygooddinneronSunday,withoutdreamingthattheBritishconstitutioninChurchandStatehadatraceableoriginanymorethanthesolarsystemandthefixedstars. Itismelancholy,buttrue,thatMrPullethadthemostconfusedideaofabishopasasortofabaronet,whomightormightnotbeaclergymanandastherectorofhisownparishwasamanofhighfamilyandfortune,theideathataclergymancouldbeaschoolmasterwastooremotefromMrPullet’sexperiencetobereadilyconceivable.IknowitisdifficultforpeopleintheseinstructedtimestobelieveinunclePullet’signorancebutletthemreflectontheremarkableresultsofagreatnaturalfacultyunderfavouringcircumstances.AndunclePullethadagreatnaturalfacultyforignorance.Hewasthefirsttogiveutterancetohisastonishment. “Why,whatcanyoubegoingtosendhimtoaparsonfor?”hesaid,withanamazedtwinklinginhiseyes,lookingatMrGleggandMrDeane,toseeiftheyshowedanysignsofcomprehension. “Why,becausetheparsonsarethebestschoolmasters,bywhatIcanmakeout,”saidpoorMrTulliver,who,inthemazeofthispuzzlingworld,laidholdofanycluewithgreatreadinessandtenacity.“Jacobsatth’academy’snoparson,andhe’sdoneverybadbytheboyandImadeupmymind,ifIsendhimtoschoolagain,itshouldbetosomebodydifferenttoJacobs.AndthisMrStelling,bywhatIcanmakeout,isthesorto’manIwant.AndImeanmyboytogotohimatMidsummer,”heconcluded,inatoneofdecision,tappinghissnuff-boxandtakingapinch. “You’llhavetopayaswinginghalf-yearlybill,then,eh,Tulliver?Theclergymenhavehighishnotions,ingeneral,