Chapter VIII. Mr Tulliver Shows His Weaker Side

’dgotbackallasismyown.Youmustlookaboutandseehowyoucanpaymethethreehundredpound.” “Well,ifthat’swhatyoumean,”saidMrMoss,lookingblanklybeforehim,“we’dbetterbesoldup,andha’donewithitImustpartwi’everyheado’stockI’vegot,topayyouandthelandlordtoo.” Poorrelationsareundeniablyirritating,—theirexistenceissoentirelyuncalledforonourpart,andtheyarealmostalwaysveryfaultypeople.MrTulliverhadsucceededingettingquiteasmuchirritatedwithMrMossashehaddesired,andhewasabletosayangrily,risingfromhisseat,— “Well,youmustdoasyoucan.Ican’tfindmoneyforeverybodyelseaswellasmyself.Imustlooktomyownbusinessandmyownfamily.Ican’tlieouto’mymoneyanylonger.Youmustraiseitasquickasyoucan.” MrTulliverwalkedabruptlyoutofthearbourasheutteredthelastsentence,and,withoutlookingroundatMrMoss,wentontothekitchendoor,wheretheeldestboywasholdinghishorse,andhissisterwaswaitinginastateofwonderingalarm,whichwasnotwithoutitsalleviations,forbabywasmakingpleasantgurglingsounds,andperformingagreatdealoffingerpracticeonthefadedface.MrsMosshadeightchildren,butcouldneverovercomeherregretthatthetwinshadnotlived.MrMossthoughttheirremovalwasnotwithoutitsconsolations.“Won’tyoucomein,brother?”shesaid,lookinganxiouslyatherhusband,whowaswalkingslowlyup,whileMrTulliverhadhisfootalreadyinthestirrup. “No,nogood-by,”saidhe,turninghishorse’shead,andridingaway. Nomancouldfeelmoreresolutetillhegotoutsidetheyardgate,andalittlewayalongthedeep-ruttedlanebutbeforehereachedthenextturning,whichwouldtakehimoutofsightofthedilapidatedfarm-buildings,heappearedtobesmittenbysomesuddenthought.Hecheckedhishorse,andmadeitstandstillinthesamespotfortwoorthreeminutes,duringwhichheturnedhisheadfromsidetosideinamelancholyway,asifhewerelookingatsomepainfulobjectonmoresidesthanone.Evidently,afterhisfitofpromptitude,MrTulliverwasrelapsingintothesensethatthisisapuzzlingworld.Heturnedhishorse,androdeslowlyback,givingventtotheclimaxoffeelingwhichhaddeterminedthismovementbysayingaloud,ashestruckhishorse,“Poorlittlewench!she’llhavenobodybutTom,belike,whenI’mgone.” MrTulliver’sreturnintotheyardwasdescriedbyseveralyoungMosses,whoimmediatelyraninwiththeexcitingnewstotheirmother,sothatMrsMosswasagainonthedoor-stepwhenherbrotherrodeup.Shehadbeencrying,butwasrockingbabytosleepinherarmsnow,andmadenoostentatiousshowofsorrowasherbrotherlookedather,butmerelysaid: “Thefather’sgonetothefield,again,ifyouwanthim,brother.” “No,Gritty,no,”saidMrTulliver,inagentletone.“Don’tyoufret,—that’sall,—I’llmakeashiftwithoutthemoneyabit,onlyyoumustbeascleverandcontrivingasyoucan.” MrsMoss’stearscameagainatthisunexpectedkindness,andshecouldsaynothing. “Come,come!—thelittlewenchshallcomeandseeyou.I’llbringherandTomsomedaybeforehegoestoschool.Youmustn’tfret.I’llallaysbeagoodbrothertoyou.” “Thankyouforthatword,brother,”saidMrsMoss,dryinghertearsthenturningtoLizzy,shesaid,“Runnow,andfetchthecolouredeggforcousinMaggie.”Lizzyranin,andquicklyreappearedwithasmallpaperparcel. “It’sboiledhard,brother,andcolouredwiththrums,veryprettyitwasdoneo’purposeforMaggie.Willyoupleasetocarryitinyourpocket?” “Ay,ay,”saidMrTulliver,puttingitcarefullyinhissidepocket.“Good-by.” AndsotherespectablemillerreturnedalongtheBassetlanesrathermorepuzzledthanbeforeastowaysandmeans,butstillwiththesenseofadangerescaped.Ithadcomeacrosshismindthatifhewereharduponhissister,itmightsomehowtendtomakeTomharduponMaggieatsomedistantday,whenherfatherwasnolongertheretotakeherpartforsimplepeople,likeourfriendMrTulliver,areapttoclotheunimpeachablefeelingsinerroneousideas,andthiswashisconfusedwayofexplainingtohimselfthathisloveandanxietyfor“thelittlewench”hadgivenhimanewsensibilitytowardhissister.