CHAPTER IX.

I’lltellthee,Berthold,whatmen’shopesarelike: Asillychildthat,quiveringwithjoy, Wouldcastitslittlemimicfishing-line Baitedwithloadstoneforabowloftoys Inthesaltocean. EightmonthsafterthearrivalofthefamilyatOffendene,thatistosayintheendofthefollowingJune,arumorwasspreadintheneighborhoodwhichtomanypersonswasmatterofexcitinginterest.IthadnoreferencetotheresultsoftheAmericanwar,butitwasonewhichtouchedallclasseswithinacertaincircuitroundWanchester:thecorn-factors,thebrewers,thehorse-dealers,andsaddlers,allhelditalaudablething,andonewhichwastoberejoicedinonabstractgrounds,asshowingthevalueofanaristocracyinafreecountrylikeEnglandtheblacksmithinthehamletofDiplowfeltthatagoodtimehadcomeroundthewivesoflaboringmenhopedtheirnimbleboysoftenortwelvewouldbetakenintoemploybythegentlemeninliveryandthefarmersaboutDiplowadmitted,withatinctureofbitternessandreserve,thatamanmightnowagainperhapshaveaneasiermarketorexchangeforarickofoldhayorawagon-loadofstraw.Ifsuchwerethehopesoflowpersonsnotinsociety,itmaybeeasilyinferredthattheirbettershadbetterreasonsforsatisfaction,probablyconnectedwiththepleasuresofliferatherthanitsbusiness.Marriage,however,mustbeconsideredascomingunderbothheadsandjustaswhenavisitofmajestyisannounced,thedreamofknighthoodorabaronetcyistobefoundundervariousmunicipalnightcaps,sothenewsinquestionraisedafloatingindeterminatevisionofmarriageinseveralwell-bredimaginations. ThenewswasthatDiplowHall,SirHugoMallinger’splace,whichhadforacoupleofyearsturneditswhitewindow-shuttersinapainfullywall-eyedmanneronitsfineelmsandbeeches,itsliliedpoolandgrassyacresspeckedwithdeer,wasbeingpreparedforatenant,andwasfortherestofthesummerandthroughthehuntingseasontobeinhabitedinafittingstylebothastohouseandstable.ButnotbySirHugohimself:byhisnephew,Mr.MallingerGrandcourt,whowaspresumptiveheirtothebaronetcy,hisuncle’smarriagehavingproducednothingbutgirls.NorwasthistheonlycontingencywithwhichfortuneflatteredyoungGrandcourt,ashewaspleasantlycalledforwhilethechanceofthebaronetcycamethroughhisfather,hismotherhadgivenabaronialstreaktohisblood,sothatifcertaininterveningpersonsslightlypaintedinthemiddledistancedied,hewouldbecomeabaronandpeerofthisrealm. Itistheunevenallotmentofnaturethatthemalebirdalonehasthetuft,butwehavenotyetfollowedtheadviceofhastyphilosopherswhowouldhaveuscopynatureentirelyinthesemattersandifMr.MallingerGrandcourtbecameabaronetorapeer,hiswifewouldsharethetitle—whichinadditiontohisactualfortunewascertainlyareasonwhythatwife,beingatpresentunchosen,shouldbethoughtofbymorethanonepersonwithasympatheticinterestasawomansuretobewellprovidedfor. Somereadersofthishistorywilldoubtlessregarditasincrediblethatpeopleshouldconstructmatrimonialprospectsonthemerereportthatabachelorofgoodfortuneandpossibilitieswascomingwithinreach,andwillrejectthestatementasamereoutflowofgall:theywillaverthatneithertheynortheirfirstcousinshavemindssounbridledandthatinfactthisisnothumannature,whichwouldknowthatsuchspeculationsmightturnouttobefallacious,andwouldthereforenotentertainthem.But,letitbeobserved,nothingisherenarratedofhumannaturegenerally:thehistoryinitspresentstageconcernsonlyafewpeopleinacornerofWessex—whosereputation,however,wasunimpeached,andwho,Iamintheproudpositionofbeingabletostate,wereallonvisitingtermswithpersonsofrank. ThereweretheArrow