CHAPTER VII.

ithherspiritedriding.Allthiswastoldatoncetoheruncle,thathemightseehowwelljustifiedshehadbeeninactingagainsthisadviceandtheprudentialrectordidfeelhimselfinaslightdifficulty,foratthatmomenthewasparticularlysensiblethatitwashisniece’sseriousinteresttobewellregardedbytheBrackenshaws,andtheiropinionastoherfollowingthehoundsreallytouchedtheessenceofhisobjection.However,hewasnotobligedtosayanythingimmediately,forMrs.DavilowfollowedupGwendolen’sbrieftriumphantphraseswith, “Still,Idohopeyouwillnotdoitagain,Gwendolen.Ishouldneverhaveamoment’squiet.Herfatherdiedbyanaccident,youknow.” HereMrs.DavilowhadturnedawayfromGwendolen,andlookedatMr.Gascoigne. “Mamma,dear,”saidGwendolen,kissinghermerrily,andpassingoverthequestionofthefearswhichMrs.Davilowhadmeanttoaccountfor,“childrendon’ttakeaftertheirparentsinbrokenlegs.” NotonewordhadyetbeensaidaboutRex.InfacttherehadbeennoanxietyabouthimatOffendene.Gwendolenhadobservedtohermamma,“Oh,hemusthavebeenleftfarbehind,andgonehomeindespair,”anditcouldnotbedeniedthatthiswasfortunatesofarasitmadewayforLordBrackenshaw’sbringingherhome.ButnowMr.Gascoignesaid,withsomeemphasis,lookingatGwendolen, “Well,theexploithasendedbetterforyouthanforRex.” “Yes,Idaresayhehadtomakeaterribleround.YouhavenottaughtPrimrosetotakethefences,uncle,”saidGwendolen,withoutthefaintestshadeofalarminherlooksandtone. “Rexhashadafall,”saidMr.Gascoigne,curtly,throwinghimselfintoanarm-chairrestinghiselbowsandfittinghispalmsandfingerstogether,whileheclosedhislipsandlookedatGwendolen,whosaid, “Oh,poorfellow!heisnothurt,Ihope?”withacorrectlookofanxietysuchaselatedmortalstrytosuper-inducewhentheirpulsesareallthewhilequickwithtriumphandMrs.Davilow,inthesamemoment,utteredalow“Goodheavens!There!” Mr.Gascoignewenton:“Heputhisshoulderout,andgotsomebruises,Ibelieve.”HerehemadeanotherlittlepauseofobservationbutGwendolen,insteadofanysuchsymptomsaspallorandsilence,hadonlydeepenedthecompassionatenessofherbrowandeyes,andsaidagain,“Oh,poorfellow!itisnothingserious,then?”andMr.Gascoigneheldhisdiagnosiscomplete.Buthewishedtomakeassurancedoublysure,andwentonstillwithapurpose. “Hegothisarmsetagainratheroddly.Someblacksmith—notaparishionerofmine—wasonthefield—aloosefish,Isuppose,buthandy,andsetthearmforhimimmediately.Soafterall,Ibelieve,IandPrimrosecomeoffworst.Thehorse’skneesarecuttopieces.Hecamedowninahole,itseems,andpitchedRexoverhishead.” Gwendolen’sfacehadallowablybecomecontentedagain,sinceRex’sarmhadbeenresetandnow,atthedescriptivesuggestionsinthelatterpartofheruncle’sspeech,herelatedspiritsmadeherfeatureslessunmanageablethanusualthesmilesbrokeforth,andfinallyadescendingscaleoflaughter. “Youareaprettyyounglady—tolaughatotherpeople’scalamities,”saidMr.Gascoigne,withamildersenseofdisapprobationthanifhehadnothadcounteractingreasonstobegladthatGwendolenshowednodeepfeelingontheoccasion. “Prayforgiveme,uncle.NowRexissafe,itissodrolltofancythefigureheandPrimrosewouldcut—inalaneallbythemselves—onlyablacksmithrunningup.Itwouldmakeacapitalcaricatureof‘FollowingtheHounds.’” Gwendolenrathervaluedherselfonhersuperiorfreedominlaughingwhereothersmightonlyseematterforseriousness.Indeed,thelaughterbecameherpersonsowellthatheropinionofitsgracefulnesswasoftensharedbyothersanditevenenteredintoheruncle’scourseofthoughtatthismoment,thatitwasnowonderaboyshouldbefascinatedbythisyoungwitch—who,however,wasmoremischievousthancouldbedesired. “Howcanyoulaughatbrokenbones,child?”saidMrs.Davilow,stillunderherdominantanxiety.“Iwishwehadneverallowedyoutohavethehorse.Youwillseethatwewerewrong,”sheadded,lookingwithagravenodatMr.Gascoigne—“atleastIwas,toencourageherinaskingforit.” “Yes,seriously,Gwendolen,”saidMr.Gascoigne,inajudicioustoneofrationaladvicetoapersonunderstoodtobealtogetherrational,“Istronglyrecommendyou—Ishallaskyoutoobligemesofar—nottorepeatyouradventureofto-day.LordBrackenshawisverykind,butIfeelsurethathewouldconcurwithmeinwhatIsay.Tobespokenofas‘theyoungladywhohunts’bywayofexception,wouldgiveatonetothelanguageaboutyouwhichIamsureyouwouldnotlike.Dependuponit,hislordshipwouldnotchoosethatLadyBeatriceorLadyMariashouldhuntinthispartofthecountry,iftheywereoldenoughtodoso.Whenyouaremarried,itwillbedifferent:youmaydowhateveryourhusbandsanctions.Butifyouintendtohunt,youmustmarryamanwhocankeephorses.” “Idon’tknowwhyIshoulddoanythingsohorribleastomarrywithoutthatprospect,atleast,”saidGwendolen,pettishly.Heruncle’sspeechhadgivenherannoyance,whichshecouldnotshowmoredirectlybutshefeltthatshewascommittingherself,andaftermovingcarelesslytoanotherpartoftheroom,wentout. “Shealwaysspeaksinthatwayaboutmarriage,”saidMrs.Davilow“butitwillbedifferentwhenshehasseentherightperson.” “Herhearthasneverbeenintheleasttouched,thatyouknowof?”saidMr.Gascoigne. Mrs.Davilowshookherheadsilently.“Itwasonlylastnightshesaidtome,‘Mamma,Iwonderhowgirlsmanagetofallinlove.Itiseasytomakethemdoitinbooks.Butmenaretooridiculous.’” Mr.Gascoignelaughedalittle,andmadenofurtherremarkonthesubject.Thenextmorningatbreakfasthesaid, “Howareyourbruises,Rex?” “Oh,notverymellowyet,sironlybeginningtoturnalittle.” “Youdon’tfeelquitereadyforajourneytoSouthampton?” “Notquite,”answeredRex,withhisheartmetaphoricallyinhismouth. “Well,youcanwaittillto-morrow,andgotosaygood-byetothematOffendene.” Mrs.Gascoigne,whonowknewthewholeaffair,lookedsteadilyathercoffeelestshealsoshouldbegintocry,asAnnawasdoingalready. Mr.GascoignefeltthathewasapplyingasharpremedytopoorRex’sacuteattack,buthebelievedittobeintheendthekindest.TolethimknowthehopelessnessofhislovefromGwendolen’sownlipsmightbecurativeinmorewaysthanone. “Icanonlybethankfulthatshedoesn’tcareabouthim,”saidMrs.Gascoigne,whenshejoinedherhusbandinhisstudy.“TherearethingsinGwendolenIcannotreconcilemyselfto.MyAnnaisworthtwoofher,withallherbeautyandtalent.ItlooksveryillinherthatshewillnothelpintheschoolswithAnna—notevenintheSunday-school.WhatyouorIadviseisofnoconsequencetoher:andpoorFannieiscompletelyunderherthumb.ButIknowyouthinkbetterofher,”Mrs.Gascoigneendedwithadeferentialhesitation. “Oh,mydear,thereisnoharminthegirl.Itisonlythatshehasahighspirit,anditwillnotdotoholdthereinstootight.Thepointis,togetherwellmarried.Shehasalittletoomuchfireinherforherpresentlifewithhermotherandsisters.Itisnaturalandrightthatsheshouldbemarriedsoon—nottoapoorman,butonewhocangiveherafittingposition.” PresentlyRex,withhisarminasling,wasonhistwomiles’walktoOffendene.HewasratherpuzzledbytheunconditionalpermissiontoseeGwendolen,buthisfather’srealgroundofactioncouldnotenterintohisconjectures.Ifithad,hewouldfirsthavethoughtithorriblycold-blooded,andthenhavedisbelievedinhisfather’sconclusions. Whenhegottothehouse,everybodywasth