Chapter VIII. Mr Tulliver Shows His Weaker Side

.AndnothingcouldbelesspacifyingtoMrTulliverthanthebehaviourofthefarmyardgate,whichhenosoonerattemptedtopushopenwithhisriding-stickthanitactedasgateswithouttheupperhingeareknowntodo,totheperilofshins,whetherequineorhuman.Hewasabouttogetdownandleadhishorsethroughthedampdirtofthehollowfarmyard,shadoweddrearilybythelargehalf-timberedbuildings,uptothelonglineoftumble-downdwelling-housesstandingonaraisedcausewaybutthetimelyappearanceofacowboysavedhimthatfrustrationofaplanhehaddeterminedon,—namely,nottogetdownfromhishorseduringthisvisit.Ifamanmeanstobehard,lethimkeepinhissaddleandspeakfromthatheight,abovethelevelofpleadingeyes,andwiththecommandofadistanthorizon.MrsMossheardthesoundofthehorse’sfeet,and,whenherbrotherrodeup,wasalreadyoutsidethekitchendoor,withahalf-wearysmileonherface,andablack-eyedbabyinherarms.MrsMoss’sfaceboreafadedresemblancetoherbrother’sbaby’slittlefathand,pressedagainsthercheek,seemedtoshowmorestrikinglythatthecheekwasfaded. “Brother,I’mgladtoseeyou,”shesaid,inanaffectionatetone.“Ididn’tlookforyouto-day.Howdoyoudo?” “Oh,prettywell,MrsMoss,prettywell,”answeredthebrother,withcooldeliberation,asifitwererathertooforwardofhertoaskthatquestion.SheknewatoncethatherbrotherwasnotinagoodhumourhenevercalledherMrsMossexceptwhenhewasangry,andwhentheywereincompany.Butshethoughtitwasintheorderofnaturethatpeoplewhowerepoorlyoffshouldbesnubbed.MrsMossdidnottakeherstandontheequalityofthehumanraceshewasapatient,prolific,loving-heartedwoman. “Yourhusbandisn’tinthehouse,Isuppose?”addedMrTulliverafteragravepause,duringwhichfourchildrenhadrunout,likechickenswhosemotherhasbeensuddenlyineclipsebehindthehen-coop. “No,”saidMrsMoss,“buthe’sonlyinthepotato-fieldyonders.Georgy,runtotheFarCloseinaminute,andtellfatheryouruncle’scome.You’llgetdown,brother,won’tyou,andtakesomething?” “No,noIcan’tgetdown.Imustbegoinghomeagaindirectly,”saidMrTulliver,lookingatthedistance. “Andhow’sMrsTulliverandthechildren?”saidMrsMoss,humbly,notdaringtopressherinvitation. “Oh,prettywell.Tom’sgoingtoanewschoolatMidsummer,—adealofexpensetome.It’sbadworkforme,lyingouto’mymoney.” “Iwishyou’dbesogoodasletthechildrencomeandseetheircousinssomeday.MylittleunswanttoseetheircousinMaggiesoasneverwas.Andmehergodmother,andsofondofherthere’snobody’udmakeabiggerfusswithher,accordingtowhatthey’vegot.AndIknowshelikestocome,forshe’salovingchild,andhowquickandcleversheis,tobesure!” IfMrsMosshadbeenoneofthemostastutewomenintheworld,insteadofbeingoneofthesimplest,shecouldhavethoughtofnothingmorelikelytopropitiateherbrotherthanthispraiseofMaggie.Heseldomfoundanyonevolunteeringpraiseof“thelittlewench”itwasusuallyleftentirelytohimselftoinsistonhermerits.ButMaggiealwaysappearedinthemostamiablelightatherauntMoss’sitwasherAlsatia,whereshewasoutofthereachoflaw,—ifsheupsetanything,dirtiedhershoes,ortoreherfrock,thesethingsweremattersofcourseatherauntMoss’s.Inspiteofhimself,MrTulliver’seyesgotmilder,andhedidnotlookawayfromhissisterashesaid,— “Ayshe’sfondero’youthano’theotheraunts,Ithink.Shetakesafterourfamily:notabitofhermother’sinher.” “Mosssaysshe’sjustlikewhatIusedtobe,”saidMrsMoss,“thoughIwasneversoquickandfondo’thebooks.ButIthinkmyLizzy’slikehershe’ssharp.Comehere,Lizzy,mydear,andletyouruncleseeyouhehardlyknowsyou,yougrowsofast.” Lizzy,ablack-eyedchildofseven,lookedveryshywhenhermotherdrewherforward,forthesmallMossesweremuchinaweoftheirunclefromDorlcoteMill.ShewasinferiorenoughtoMaggieinfireandstrengthofexpressiontomaketheresemblancebetweenthetwoentirelyflatteringtoMrTulliver’sfatherlylove. “Ay,they’reabitalike,”hesaid,lookingkindlyatthelittlefigureinthesoiledpinafore.“Theybothtakeafterourm