Chapter VIII. Mr Tulliver Shows His Weaker Side

ablefreehold.Thatwasnotaltogetherhisownfault,sinceoneofthethousandpoundswashissister’sfortune,whichhehadtopayonhermarriageandamanwhohasneighboursthatwillgotolawwithhimisnotlikelytopayoffhismortgages,especiallyifheenjoysthegoodopinionofacquaintanceswhowanttoborrowahundredpoundsonsecuritytooloftytoberepresentedbyparchment.OurfriendMrTulliverhadagood-naturedfibreinhim,anddidnotliketogiveharshrefusalseventohissister,whohadnotonlycomeintotheworldinthatsuperfluouswaycharacteristicofsisters,creatinganecessityformortgages,buthadquitethrownherselfawayinmarriage,andhadcrownedhermistakesbyhavinganeighthbaby.OnthispointMrTulliverwasconsciousofbeingalittleweakbutheapologisedtohimselfbysayingthatpoorGrittyhadbeenagood-lookingwenchbeforeshemarriedMosshewouldsometimessaythisevenwithaslighttremulousnessinhisvoice.Butthismorninghewasinamoodmorebecomingamanofbusiness,andinthecourseofhisridealongtheBassetlanes,withtheirdeepruts,—lyingsofarawayfromamarket-townthatthelabourofdrawingproduceandmanurewasenoughtotakeawaythebestpartoftheprofitsonsuchpoorlandasthatparishwasmadeof,—hegotupadueamountofirritationagainstMossasamanwithoutcapital,who,ifmurrainandblightwereabroad,wassuretohavehisshareofthem,andwho,themoreyoutriedtohelphimoutofthemud,wouldsinkthefurtherin.Itwoulddohimgoodratherthanharm,now,ifhewereobligedtoraisethisthreehundredpoundsitwouldmakehimlookabouthimbetter,andnotactsofoolishlyabouthiswoolthisyearashedidthelastinfact,MrTulliverhadbeentooeasywithhisbrother-in-law,andbecausehehadlettheinterestrunonfortwoyears,Mosswaslikelyenoughtothinkthatheshouldneverbetroubledabouttheprincipal.ButMrTulliverwasdeterminednottoencouragesuchshufflingpeopleanylongerandaridealongtheBassetlaneswasnotlikelytoenervateaman’sresolutionbysofteninghistemper.Thedeep-troddenhoof-marks,madeinthemuddiestdaysofwinter,gavehimashakenowandthenwhichsuggestedarashbutstimulatingsnarlatthefatheroflawyers,who,whetherbymeansofhishooforotherwise,haddoubtlesssomethingtodowiththisstateoftheroadsandtheabundanceoffoullandandneglectedfencesthatmethiseye,thoughtheymadenopartofhisbrotherMoss’sfarm,stronglycontributedtohisdissatisfactionwiththatunluckyagriculturist.Ifthiswasn’tMoss’sfallow,itmighthavebeenBassetwasallalikeitwasabeggarlyparish,inMrTulliver’sopinion,andhisopinionwascertainlynotgroundless.Bassethadapoorsoil,poorroads,apoornon-residentlandlord,apoornon-residentvicar,andratherlessthanhalfacurate,alsopoor.IfanyonestronglyimpressedwiththepowerofthehumanmindtotriumphovercircumstanceswillcontendthattheparishionersofBassetmightneverthelesshavebeenaverysuperiorclassofpeople,IhavenothingtourgeagainstthatabstractpropositionIonlyknowthat,inpointoffact,theBassetmindwasinstrictkeepingwithitscircumstances.Themuddylanes,greenorclayey,thatseemedtotheunaccustomedeyetoleadnowherebutintoeachother,didreallylead,withpatience,toadistanthigh-roadbutthereweremanyfeetinBassetwhichtheyledmorefrequentlytoacentreofdissipation,spokenofformerlyasthe“Markiso’Granby,”butamongintimatesas“Dickison’s.”Alargelowroomwithasandedflooracoldscentoftobacco,modifiedbyundetectedbeer-dregsMrDickisonleaningagainstthedoor-postwithamelancholypimpledface,lookingasirrelevanttothedaylightasalastnight’sgutteredcandle,—allthismaynotseemaveryseductiveformoftemptationbutthemajorityofmeninBassetfounditfatallyalluringwhenencounteredontheirroadtowardfouro’clockonawintryafternoonandifanywifeinBassetwishedtoindicatethatherhusbandwasnotapleasure-seekingman,shecouldhardlydoitmoreemphaticallythanbysayingthathedidn’tspendashillingatDickison’sfromoneWhitsuntidetoanother.MrsMosshadsaidsoofherhusbandmorethanonce,whenherbrotherwasinamoodtofindfaultwithhim,ashecertainlywasto-day