Chapter XII. Mr and Mrs Glegg at Home

urethathewouldnothavelongedforthequarrellingagain,ifithadceasedforanentireweekanditiscertainthatanacquiescent,mildwifewouldhavelefthismeditationscomparativelyjejuneandbarrenofmystery. MrGlegg’sunmistakablekind-heartednesswasshowninthis,thatitpainedhimmoretoseehiswifeatvariancewithothers,—evenwithDolly,theservant,—thantobeinastateofcavilwithherhimselfandthequarrelbetweenherandMrTullivervexedhimsomuchthatitquitenullifiedthepleasurehewouldotherwisehavehadinthestateofhisearlycabbages,ashewalkedinhisgardenbeforebreakfastthenextmorning.Still,hewentintobreakfastwithsomeslighthopethat,nowMrsGlegghad“sleptuponit,”herangermightbesubduedenoughtogivewaytoherusuallystrongsenseoffamilydecorum.ShehadbeenusedtoboastthattherehadneverbeenanyofthosedeadlyquarrelsamongtheDodsonswhichhaddisgracedotherfamiliesthatnoDodsonhadeverbeen“cutoffwithashilling,”andnocousinoftheDodsonsdisownedas,indeed,whyshouldtheybe?Fortheyhadnocousinswhohadnotmoneyoutatuse,orsomehousesoftheirown,attheveryleast. Therewasoneevening-cloudwhichhadalwaysdisappearedfromMrsGlegg’sbrowwhenshesatatthebreakfast-table.Itwasherfuzzyfrontofcurlsforassheoccupiedherselfinhouseholdmattersinthemorningitwouldhavebeenamereextravagancetoputonanythingsosuperfluoustothemakingofleatherypastryasafuzzycurledfront.Byhalf-pasttendecorumdemandedthefrontuntilthenMrsGleggcouldeconomiseit,andsocietywouldneverbeanythewiser.ButtheabsenceofthatcloudonlyleftitmoreapparentthatthecloudofseverityremainedandMrGlegg,perceivingthis,ashesatdowntohismilkporridge,whichitwashisoldfrugalhabittostemhismorninghungerwith,prudentlyresolvedtoleavethefirstremarktoMrsGlegg,lest,tosodelicateanarticleasalady’stemper,theslightesttouchshoulddomischief.Peoplewhoseemtoenjoytheirilltemperhaveawayofkeepingitinfineconditionbyinflictingprivationsonthemselves.ThatwasMrsGlegg’sway.Shemadeherteaweakerthanusualthismorning,anddeclinedbutter.Itwasahardcasethatavigorousmoodforquarrelling,sohighlycapableofusinganopportunity,shouldnotmeetwithasingleremarkfromMrGleggonwhichtoexerciseitself.Butbyandbyitappearedthathissilencewouldanswerthepurpose,forheheardhimselfapostrophisedatlastinthattonepeculiartothewifeofone’sbosom. “Well,MrGlegg!it’sapoorreturnIgetformakingyouthewifeI’vemadeyoualltheseyears.IfthisisthewayI’mtobetreated,I’dbetterha’knownitbeforemypoorfatherdied,andthen,whenI’dwantedahome,Ishouldha’goneelsewhere,asthechoicewasofferedme.” MrGleggpausedfromhisporridgeandlookedup,notwithanynewamazement,butsimplywiththatquiet,habitualwonderwithwhichweregardconstantmysteries. “Why,MrsG.,whathaveIdonenow?” “Donenow,MrGlegg?donenow?—I’msorryforyou.” Notseeinghiswaytoanypertinentanswer,MrGleggrevertedtohisporridge. “There’shusbandsintheworld,”continuedMrsGlegg,afterapause,“as’udhaveknownhowtodosomethingdifferenttosidingwitheverybodyelseagainsttheirownwives.PerhapsI’mwrongandyoucanteachmebetter.ButI’veallaysheardasit’sthehusband’splacetostandbythewife,insteado’rejoicingandtriumphingwhenfolksinsulther.” “Now,whatcallhaveyoutosaythat?”saidMrGlegg,ratherwarmly,forthoughakindman,hewasnotasmeekasMoses.“WhendidIrejoiceortriumphoveryou?” “There’swayso’doingthingsworsethanspeakingoutplain,MrGlegg.I’dsooneryou’dtellmetomyfaceasyoumakelightofme,thantrytomakeoutaseverybody’sintherightbutme,andcometoyourbreakfastinthemorning,asI’vehardlysleptanhourthisnight,andsulkatmeasifIwasthedirtunderyourfeet.” “Sulkatyou?”saidMrGlegg,inatoneofangryfacetiousness.“You’relikeatipsymanasthinkseverybody’shadtoomuchbuthimself.” “Don’tloweryourselfwithusingcoarselanguagetome,MrGlegg!Itmakesyoulookverysmall,thoughyoucan’tseeyourself,”saidMrsGlegg,inatoneofenergeticcompassion.“Amaninyourplaceshouldsetanexample,andtalkmoresensible.” “Yesbutwillyoulistentosense?”retortedMrGlegg,sharply.“ThebestsenseIcantalktoyouiswhatIsaidlastnight,—asyou’rei’thewrongtothinko’callinginyourmoney,whenit’ssafeenoughifyou’dletitalone,allbecauseofabitofatiff,andIwasinhopesyou’dha’alteredyourmindthismorning.Butifyou’dliketocallitin,don’tdoitinahurrynow,andbreedmoreenmityinthefamily,butwaittillthere’saprettymortgagetobehadwithoutanytrouble.You’dhavetosetthelawyertoworknowtofindaninvestment,andmakenoendo’expense.” MrsGleggfelttherewasreallysomethinginthis,butshetossedherheadandemittedagutturalinterjectiontoindicatethathersilencewasonlyanarmistice,notapeace.And,infacthostilitiessoonbrokeoutagain. “I’llthankyouformycupo’tea,now,MrsG.,”saidMrGlegg,seeingthatshedidnotproceedtogiveithimasusual,whenhehadfinishedhisporridge.Sheliftedtheteapotwithaslighttossofthehead,andsaid,— “I’mgladtohearyou’llthankme,MrGlegg.It’slittlethanksIgetforwhatIdoforfolksi’thisworld.Thoughthere’sneverawomano’yoursideo’thefamily,MrGlegg,asisfittostandupwithme,andI’dsayitifIwasonmydyingbed.NotbutwhatI’veallaysconductedmyselfciviltoyourkin,andthereisn’to