CHAPTER VII.

“Perigot.Asthebonnylassepassedby, Willie.Hey,ho,bonnilasse! P.Sheroodeatmewithglauncingeye, W.Asclearasthecrystalglasse. P.Allasthesunnybeamesobright, W.Hey,ho,thesunnebeame! P.GlauncethfromPhoebus’faceforthright, W.Soloveintothyheartdidstreame.” —SPENSER:Shepard’sCalendar. “Thekindliestsymptom,yetthemostalarmingcrisisintheticklishstateofyouththenourisheranddestroyerofhopefulwits***theservitudeabovefreedomthegentlemind’sreligiontheliberalsuperstition.”—CHARLESLAMB. Thefirstsignoftheunimaginedsnow-stormwaslikethetransparentwhitecloudthatseemstosetofftheblue.AnnawasinthesecretofRex’sfeelingthoughforthefirsttimeintheirliveshehadsaidnothingtoheraboutwhathemostthoughtof,andheonlytookitforgrantedthatsheknewit.Forthefirsttime,too,AnnacouldnotsaytoRexwhatwascontinuallyinhermind.Perhapsitmighthavebeenapainwhichshewouldhavehadtoconceal,thatheshouldsosooncareforsomeoneelsemorethanforherself,ifsuchafeelinghadnotbeenthoroughlyneutralizedbydoubtandanxietyonhisbehalf.Annaadmiredhercousin—wouldhavesaidwithsimplesincerity,“Gwendolenisalwaysverygoodtome,”andhelditintheorderofthingsforherselftobeentirelysubjecttothiscousinbutshelookedatherwithmingledfearanddistrust,withapuzzledcontemplationasofsomewondrousandbeautifulanimalwhosenaturewasamystery,andwho,foranythingAnnaknew,mighthaveanappetitefordevouringallthesmallcreaturesthatwereherownparticularpets.AndnowAnna’sheartwassinkingundertheheavyconvictionwhichshedarednotutter,thatGwendolenwouldnevercareforRex.WhatsheherselfheldintendernessandreverencehadconstantlyseemedindifferenttoGwendolen,anditwaseasiertoimagineherscorningRexthanreturninganytendernessofhis.Besides,shewasalwaysthinkingofbeingsomethingextraordinary.AndpoorRex!Papawouldbeangrywithhimifheknew.Andofcoursehewastooyoungtobeinloveinthatwayandshe,Annahadthoughtthatitwouldbeyearsandyearsbeforeanythingofthatsortcame,andthatshewouldbeRex’shousekeepereversolong.Butwhataheartmustthatbewhichdidnotreturnhislove!Anna,intheprospectofhissuffering,wasbeginningtodislikehertoofascinatingcousin. Itseemedtoher,asitdidtoRex,thattheweekshadbeenfilledwithatumultuouslifeevidenttoallobservers:ifhehadbeenquestionedonthesubjecthewouldhavesaidthathehadnowishtoconcealwhathehopedwouldbeanengagementwhichheshouldimmediatelytellhisfatherof:andyetforthefirsttimeinhislifehewasreservednotonlyabouthisfeelingsbut—whichwasmoreremarkabletoAnna—aboutcertainactions.She,onherside,wasnervouseachtimeherfatherormotherbegantospeaktoherinprivatelesttheyshouldsayanythingaboutRexandGwendolen.Buttheelderswerenotintheleastalivetothisagitatingdrama,whichwentforwardchieflyinasortofpantomimeextremelylucidinthemindsthusexpressingthemselves,buteasilymissedbyspectatorswhowererunningtheireyesovertheGuardianortheClericalGazette,andregardedthetrivialitiesoftheyoungoneswithscarcelymoreinterpretationthantheygavetotheactionoflivelyants. “Whereareyougoing,Rex?”saidAnnaonegraymorningwhenherfatherhadsetoffinhiscarriagetothesessions,Mrs.Gascoignewithhim,andshehadobservedthatherbrotherhadonhisantigropelos,theutmostapproachhepossessedtoahuntingequipment. “GoingtoseethehoundsthrowoffattheThreeBarns.” “AreyougoingtotakeGwendolen?”saidAnna,timidly. “Shetoldyou,didshe?” “No,butIthought—Doespapaknowyouaregoing?” “NotthatIamawareof.Idon’tsupposehewouldtroublehimselfaboutthematter.” “Youaregoingtousehishorse?” “HeknowsIdothatwheneverIcan.” “Don’tletGwendolenrideafterthehounds,Rex,”saidAnna,whosefearsgiftedherwithsecond-sight. “Whynot?”saidRex,smilingratherprovokingly. “PapaandmammaandauntDavilowallwishhernotto.Theythinkitisnotrightforher.” “Whyshouldyousupposesheisgoingtodowhatisnotright?” “Gwendolenmindsnobodysometimes,”saidAnnagettingbolderbydintofalittleanger. “Thenshewouldnotmindme,”saidRex,perverselymakingajokeofpoorAnna’sanxiety. “OhRex,Icannotbearit.Youwillmakeyourselfveryunhappy.”HereAnnaburstintotears. “Nannie,Nannie,whatonearthisthematterwithyou?”saidRex,alittleimpatientatbeingkeptinthisway,hatonandwhipinhand. “Shewillnotcareforyouonebit—Iknowsheneverwill!”saidthepoorchildinasobbingwhisper.Shehadlostallcontrolofherself. Rexreddenedandhurriedawayfromheroutofthehalldoor,leavinghertothemiserableconsciousnessofhavingmadeherselfdisagreeableinvain. Hedidthinkofherwordsasherodealongtheyhadtheunwelcomenesswhichallunfavorablefortune-tellinghas,evenwhenlaughedatbuthequicklyexplainedthemasspringingfromlittleAnna’stenderness,andbegantobesorrythathewasobligedtocomeawaywithoutsoothingher.Everyotherfeelingonthesubject,however,wasquicklymergedinaresistantbelieftothecontraryofhers,accompaniedwithanewdeterminationtoprovethathewasright.Thissortofcertaintyhadjustenoughkinshiptodoubtanduneasinesstohurryonaconfessionwhichanuntouchedsecuritymighthavedelayed. GwendolenwasalreadymountedandridingupanddowntheavenuewhenRexappearedatthegate.Shehadprovidedherselfagainstdisappointmentincasehedidnotappearintimebyhavingthegroomreadybehindher,forshewouldnothavewaitedbeyondareasonabletime.Butnowthegroomwasdismissed,andthetworodeawayindelightfulfreedom.Gwendolenwasinherhighestspirits,andRexthoughtthatshehadneverlookedsolovelybeforeherfigure,herlongwhitethroat,andthecurvesofhercheekandchinwerealwayssetofftoperfectionbythecompactsimplicityofherridingdress.HecouldnotconceiveamoreperfectgirlandtoayouthfulloverlikeRexitseemsthatthefundamentalidentityofthegood,thetrueandthebeautiful,isalreadyextantandmanifestintheobjectofhislove.MostobserverswouldhavehelditmorethanequallyaccountablethatagirlshouldhavelikeimpressionsaboutRex,forinhishandsomefacetherewasnothingcorrespondingtotheundefinablestingingquality—asitwereatraceofdemonancestry—whichmadesomebeholdershesitateintheiradmirationofGwendolen. ItwasanexquisiteJanuarymorninginwhichtherewasnothreatofrain,butagrayskymakingthecalmestbackgroundforthecharmsofamildwinterscene—thegrassybordersofthelanes,thehedgerowssprinkledwithredberriesandhauntedwithlowtwitterings,thepurplebarenessoftheelms,therichbrownofthefurrows.Thehorses’hoofsmadeamusicalchime,accompanyingtheiryoungvoices.Shewaslaughingathisequipment,forhewasthereverseofadandy,andhewasenjoyingherlaughterthefreshnessofthemorningmingledwiththefreshnessoftheiryouthandeverysoundthatcamefromtheirclearthroats,everyglancetheygaveeachother,wasthebubblingoutflowfromaspringofjoy.Itwasallmorningtothem,withinandwithout.Andthinkingoftheminthesemomentsoneistemptedtothatfutilesortofwishing—ifonlythingscouldhavebeenalittleotherwisethen,soastohavebeengreatlyotherwiseafter—ifonlythesetwobeautifulyoungcreaturescouldhavepledgedthemselvestoeachotherthenandthere,