Chapter IX. To Garum Firs

ome. MrsPulletscreweduphermouthandshookherhead,andthenwhispered,“PulletpaysforithesaidIwastohavethebestbonnetatGarumChurch,letthenextbestbewhoseitwould.” Shebeganslowlytoadjustthetrimmings,inpreparationforreturningittoitsplaceinthewardrobe,andherthoughtsseemedtohavetakenamelancholyturn,forsheshookherhead. “Ah,”shesaidatlast,“Imayneverwearittwice,sisterwhoknows?” “Don’ttalko’thatsister,”answeredMrsTulliver.“Ihopeyou’llhaveyourhealththissummer.” “Ah!buttheremaycomeadeathinthefamily,astheredidsoonafterIhadmygreensatinbonnet.CousinAbbottmaygo,andwecan’tthinko’wearingcrapelessnorhalfayearforhim.” “Thatwouldbeunlucky,”saidMrsTulliver,enteringthoroughlyintothepossibilityofaninopportunedecease.“There’sneversomuchpleasurei’wearingabonnetthesecondyear,especiallywhenthecrownsaresochancy,—nevertwosummersalike.” “Ah,it’sthewayi’thisworld,”saidMrsPullet,returningthebonnettothewardrobeandlockingitup.Shemaintainedasilencecharacterisedbyhead-shaking,untiltheyhadallissuedfromthesolemnchamberandwereinherownroomagain.Then,beginningtocry,shesaid,“Sister,ifyoushouldneverseethatbonnetagaintillI’mdeadandgone,you’llrememberIshowedityouthisday.” MrsTulliverfeltthatsheoughttobeaffected,butshewasawomanofsparsetears,stoutandhealthyshecouldn’tcrysomuchashersisterPulletdid,andhadoftenfeltherdeficiencyatfunerals.Herefforttobringtearsintohereyesissuedinanoddcontractionofherface.Maggie,lookingonattentively,feltthattherewassomepainfulmysteryaboutheraunt’sbonnetwhichshewasconsideredtooyoungtounderstandindignantlyconscious,allthewhile,thatshecouldhaveunderstoodthat,aswellaseverythingelse,ifshehadbeentakenintoconfidence. Whentheywentdown,unclePulletobserved,withsomeacumen,thathereckonedthemissishadbeenshowingherbonnet,—thatwaswhathadmadethemsolongupstairs.WithTomtheintervalhadseemedstilllonger,forhehadbeenseatedinirksomeconstraintontheedgeofasofadirectlyoppositehisunclePullet,whoregardedhimwithtwinklinggrayeyes,andoccasionallyaddressedhimas“Youngsir.” “Well,youngsir,whatdoyoulearnatschool?”wasastandingquestionwithunclePulletwhereuponTomalwayslookedsheepish,rubbedhishandsacrosshisface,andanswered,“Idon’tknow.”Itwasaltogethersoembarrassingtobeseatedtête-à-têtewithunclePullet,thatTomcouldnotevenlookattheprintsonthewalls,ortheflycages,orthewonderfulflower-potshesawnothingbuthisuncle’sgaiters.NotthatTomwasinaweofhisuncle’smentalsuperiorityindeed,hehadmadeuphismindthathedidn’twanttobeagentlemanfarmer,becauseheshouldn’tliketobesuchathin-legged,sillyfellowashisunclePullet,—amolly-coddle,infact.Aboy’ssheepishnessisbynomeansasignofovermasteringreverenceandwhileyouaremakingencouragingadvancestohimundertheideathatheisoverwhelmedbyasenseofyourageandwisdom,tentooneheisthinkingyouextremelyqueer.TheonlyconsolationIcansuggesttoyouis,thattheGreekboysprobablythoughtthesameofAristotle.Itisonlywhenyouhavemasteredarestivehorse,orthrashedadrayman,orhavegotaguninyourhand,thattheseshyjuniorsfeelyoutobeatrulyadmirableandenviablecharacter.Atleast,IamquitesureofTomTulliver’ssentimentsonthesepoints.Inverytenderyears,whenhestillworealaceborderunderhisoutdoorcap,hewasoftenobservedpeepingthroughthebarsofagateandmakingminatorygestureswithhissmallforefingerwhilehescoldedthesheepwithaninarticulateburr,intendedtostriketerrorintotheirastonishedmindsindicatingthusearlythatdesireformasteryovertheinferioranimals,wildanddomestic,includingcockchafers,neighbours’dogs,andsmallsisters,whichinallageshasbeenanattributeofsomuchpromiseforthefortunesofourrace.Now,MrPulletneverrodeanythingtallerthanalowpony,andwastheleastpredatoryofmen,consideringfirearmsdangerous,asapttogooffofthemselvesbynobody’sparticulardesire.SothatTomwasnotwithoutstrongreasonswhen,inconfidentialtalkwithachum,hehaddescribedunclePulletasanincompoop,takingcareatthesametimetoobservethathewasavery“richfellow.” Theonlyalleviatingcircumstanceinatête-à-têtewithunclePulletwasthathekeptavarietyoflozengesandpeppermint-dropsabouthisperson,andwhenatalossforconversation,hefilledupthevoidbyproposingamutualsolaceofthiskind. “Doyoulikepeppermints,youngsir?”requiredonlyatacitanswerwhenitwasaccompaniedbyapresentationofthearticleinquestion. TheappearanceofthelittlegirlssuggestedtounclePulletthefurthersolaceofsmallsweet-cakes,ofwhichhealsokeptastockunderlockandkeyforhisownprivateeatingonwetdaysbutthethreechildrenhadnosoonergotthetemptingdelicacybetweentheirfingers,thanauntPulletdesiredthemtoabstainfromeatingittillthetrayandtheplatescame,sincewiththosecrispcakestheywouldmakethefloor“allover”crumbs.Lucydidn’tmindthatmuch,forthecakewassopretty,shethoughtitwasratherapitytoeatitbutTom,watchinghisopportunitywhiletheeldersweretalking,hastilystoweditinhismouthattwobites,andcheweditfurtively.AsforMaggie,becomingfascinated,asusual,byaprintofUlyssesandNausicaa,whichunclePullethadboughtasa“prettyScripturething,”shepresentlyletfallhercake,andinanunluckymovementcrusheditbeneathherfoot,—asourceofsomuchagitationtoauntPulletandconsciousdisgracetoMaggie,thatshebegantodespairofhearingthemusicalsnuff-boxto-day,till,aftersomereflection,itoccurredtoherthatLucywasinhighfavourenoughtoventureonaskingforatune.SoshewhisperedtoLucyandLucy,whoalwaysdidwhatshewasde