CHAPTER VI.

whowasstudyingforIndiawithaWanchester“coach,”havingnotimetospare,andbeinggenerallydismalunderacramofeverythingexcepttheanswersneededattheforthcomingexamination,whichmightdisclosethewelfareofourIndianEmpiretobesomehowconnectedwithaquotableknowledgeofBrowne’sPastorals. Mr.Middletonwaspersuadedtoplayvariousgraveparts,GwendolenhavingflatteredhimonhisenviableimmobilityofcountenanceandatfirstalittlepainedandjealousathercomradeshipwithRex,hepresentlydrewencouragementfromthethoughtthatthissortofcousinlyfamiliarityexcludedanyseriouspassion.Indeed,heoccasionallyfeltthathermoreformaltreatmentofhimselfwassuchasignoffavorastowarranthismakingadvancesbeforeheleftPennicote,thoughhehadintendedtokeephisfeelingsinreserveuntilhispositionshouldbemoreassured.MissGwendolen,quiteawarethatshewasadoredbythisunexceptionableyoungclergymanwithpalewhiskersandsquare-cutcollar,feltnothingmoreonthesubjectthanthatshehadnoobjectiontobeingadored:sheturnedhereyesonhimwithcalmmercilessnessandcausedhimmanymildlyagitatinghopesbyseemingalwaystoavoiddramaticcontactwithhim—forallmeanings,weknow,dependonthekeyofinterpretation. SomepersonsmighthavethoughtbeforehandthatayoungmanofAnglicanleanings,havingasenseofsacrednessmuchexercisedonsmallthingsaswellasgreat,rarelylaughingsavefrompoliteness,andingeneralregardingthementionofspadesbytheirnakednamesasrathercoarse,wouldnothaveseenafittingbrideforhimselfinagirlwhowasdaringinridicule,andshowednoneofthespecialgracerequiredintheclergyman’swifeor,thatayoungmaninformedbytheologicalreadingwouldhavereflectedthathewasnotlikelytomeetthetasteofalively,restlessyoungladylikeMissHarleth.Butarewealwaysobligedtoexplainwhythefactsarenotwhatsomepersonsthoughtbeforehand?Theapologyliesontheirside,whohadthaterroneouswayofthinking. AsforRex,whowouldpossiblyhavebeensorryforpoorMiddletonifhehadbeenawareoftheexcellentcurate’sinwardconflict,hewastoocompletelyabsorbedinafirstpassiontohaveobservationforanypersonorthing.HedidnotobserveGwendolenheonlyfeltwhatshesaidordid,andthebackofhisheadseemedtobeagoodorganofinformationastowhethershewasintheroomorout.BeforetheendofthefirstfortnighthewassodeeplyinlovethatitwasimpossibleforhimtothinkofhislifeexceptasboundupwithGwendolen’s.Hecouldseenoobstacles,poorboyhisownloveseemedaguaranteeofhers,sinceitwasonewiththeunperturbeddelightinherimage,sothathecouldnomoredreamofhergivinghimpainthananEgyptiancoulddreamofsnow.Shesangandplayedtohimwheneverheliked,wasalwaysgladofhiscompanionshipinriding,thoughhisborrowedsteedswereoftencomic,wasreadytojoininanyfunofhis,andshowedarightappreciationofAnna.Nomarkofsympathyseemedabsent.ThatbecauseGwendolenwasthemostperfectcreatureintheworldshewastomakeagrandmatch,hadnotoccurredtohim.Hehadnoconceit—atleastnotmorethangoestomakeupthenecessarygumandconsistenceofasubstantialpersonality:itwasonlythatintheyoungblissoflovinghetookGwendolen’sperfectionaspartofthatgoodwhichhadseemedonewithlifetohim,beingtheoutcomeofahappy,well-embodiednature. OneincidentwhichhappenedinthecourseoftheirdramaticattemptsimpressedRexasasignofherunusualsensibility.Itshowedanaspectofhernaturewhichcouldnothavebeenpreconceivedbyanyonewho,likehim,hadonlyseenherhabitualfearlessnessinactiveexercisesandherhighspiritsinsociety. AfteragooddealofrehearsingitwasresolvedthataselectpartyshouldbeinvitedtoOffendenetowitnesstheperformanceswhichwentwithsomuchsatisfactiontotheactors.Annahadcausedapleasantsurprisenothingcouldbeneaterthanthewayinwhichsheplayedherlittlepartsonewouldevenhavesuspectedherofhidingmuchslyobservationunderhersimplicity.AndMr.Middletonansweredverywellbynottryingtobecomic.ThemainsourceofdoubtandretardationhadbeenGwendolen’sdesiretoappearinherGreekdress.Nowordforacharadewouldoccurtohereitherwakingordreamingthatsuitedherpurposeofgettingastatuesqueposeinthisfavoritecostume.TochooseamotivefromRacinewasofnouse,sinceRexandtheotherscouldnotdeclaimFrenchverse,andimprovisedspeecheswouldturnthesceneintoburlesque.Besides,Mr.Gascoigneprohibitedtheactingofscenesfromplays:heusuallyprotestedagainstthenotionthatanamusementwhichwasfittingforeveryoneelsewasunfittingforaclergymanbuthewouldnotinthismatteroverstepthelineofdecorumasdrawninthatpartofWessex,whichdidnotexcludehissanctionoftheyoungpeople’sactingcharadesinhissister-in-law’shouse—averydifferentaffairfromprivatetheatricalsinthefullsenseoftheword. EverybodyofcoursewasconcernedtosatisfythiswishofGwendolen’s,andRexproposedthattheyshouldwindupwithatableauinwhichtheeffectofhermajestywouldnotbemarredbyanyone’sspeech.Thispleasedherthoroughly,andtheonlyquestionwasthechoiceofthetableau. “Somethingpleasant,children,Ibeseechyou,”saidMrs.Davilow“Ican’thaveanyGreekwickedness.” “ItisnoworsethanChristianwickedness,mamma,”saidGwendolen,whosementionofRachelesqueheroineshadcalledforththatremark. “Andlessscandalous,”saidRex.“Besides,onethinksofitasallgonebyanddonewith.WhatdoyousaytoBriseisbeingledaway?IwouldbeAchilles,andyouwouldbeloo