IX

erMrs.Morrison,wholookedupuneasilyatthegraveyoungface.Why,Mrs.Morrisonaskedherself,didn'tthegirlsmile?ItwasthedutyofaMissSchultzcalleduponbythevicar'swifetosmilesoprofoundagravityonsuchanoccasionwassurelyalmostrude.Priscillaofferedherhandandhopeditwasallrighttodoso,butstillshedidnotsmile."AreyouMrs.Morrison?"sheasked. "Yes,"saidMrs.Morrisonwithanimmensereserveinhervoice. ThenPriscillasuggestedsheshouldsitdown.Mrs.MorrisonwasalreadydoingitandPriscillasankontohersofaagainandwonderedwhatshehadbettersaynext.Shewonderedsomuchthatshebecamelostinmazesofwonder,andtherewassolongasilencethatMrs.Pearceoutsidethedoordeploredaninconsideratenessthatcouldkeephertherefornothing. "Ididn'tknowyouhadadoublename,"saidMrs.Morrison,staringatPriscillaandtryingtodecidewhetherthiswasnotacasefortheapplicationofleafletsandinstantdeparture.Thegirlwasreallyquiteoffensivelypretty.Sheherselfhadbeenpretty—shethankedheaventhatshestillwasso—butnever,neverpretty—shethankedheavenagain—inthisglaringlyconspicuousfashion. "MynameisEthelMaria-TheresaNeumann-Schultz,"saidPriscilla,veryclearlyandslowlyandthoughshewas,asweknow,absolutelyimpervioustothesteadieststaring,shedidwonderwhetherthisgoodladycouldhaveseenherphotographanywhereinsomepaper,herstarewassoveryroundandbrightandpiercing. "Whatalongname,"saidMrs.Morrison. "Yes,"saidPriscillaandasanothersilenceseemedimminentsheadded,"Ihavetwohyphens." "Twowhat?"saidMrs.Morrison,startledandsofullwasherheadofdoubtanddistrustthatforonedreadfulmomentshethoughtthegirlhadsaidtwohusbands."Oh,hyphens.Yes.Germanshavethemagooddeal,Ibelieve." "Thatsoundsasifweweretalkingaboutdiseases,"saidPriscilla,afaintsmiledawningfarawaysomewhereinthedepthsofhereyes. "Yes,"saidMrs.Morrison,fidgeting. OddthatRobinshouldhavesaidnothingaboutthegirl'sface.AnyhowsheshouldbekeptoffNetta.Betterkeepherofftheparish-roomTuesdaysaswell.WhatintheworldwasshedoinginSymford?Shewasquitethesortofgirltoturntheheadsofsillyboys.Andsounfortunate,justasAugustusShuttleworthhadtakentogivingNettalittlevolumesofBrowning. "Isyouruncleout?"sheasked,someofthesharpnessofherthoughtsgettingintohervoice. "He'sgonetoMinehead,toseeaboutthingsformycottage." "Yourcottage?HaveyougotMrs.Shaw's,then?" "Yes.Sheisbeingmovedoutto-day." "Dearme,"saidMrs.Morrison,greatlystruck. "Isitsurprising?" "Most.SounlikeLadyShuttleworth." "Shehasbeenverykind." "Doyouknowher?" "Nobutmyunclewastherethismorning." "Andmanagedtopersuadeher?" "Heisveryeloquent,"saidPriscilla,withademuredownwardsweepofhereyelashes. "Justalittlemore,"thoughtMrs.Morrison,watchingtheirduskygoldencurve,"andthegirlwouldhavehadscarlethairandwhite-eyebrowsandmassesoffrecklesandbeenfrightful."Andshesighedanimpatientsigh,which,iftranslatedintoverse,wouldundoubtedlyhavecomeout— "Ohthelittlemoreandhowmuchitis, Andthelittlelessandwhatworldsaway!" "AndpooroldMrs.Shaw—howdoesshelikebeingturnedout?" "Ibelievesheisbeingputintosomethingthatwillseemtoherapalace." "Dearme,yourunclemustreallybeveryeloquent." "Iassureyouthatheis,"saidPriscillaearnestly. Therewasashortpause,duringwhichMrs.Morrisonstaringstraightintothoseunfathomablepools,Priscilla'seyes,wasveryangrywiththemforbeingsoevidentlylovely."Youareveryyoung,"shesaid,"soyouwillnotmindmyquestions—" "Don'ttheyoungmindquestions?"askedPriscilla,foramomentsupposingittobeacharacteristicoftheyoungofEngland. "Not,surely,fromexperiencedand—andmarriedladies,"saidMrs.Morrisontartly. "Pleasegoonthen." "Oh,Ihaven'tanythingparticulartogoonabout,"saidMrs.Morrison,offended."Iassureyoucuriosityisnotoneofmyfaults." "No?"saidPriscilla,whoseattentionhadbeguntowander. "BeinghumanIhavenodoubtmanyfailings,butI'mthankfultosaycuriosityisn'toneofthem." "Myunclesaysthat'sjustthedifferencebetweenmenandwomen.Hesayswomenmightachievejustasmuchasmenifonlytheywerecuriousaboutthings.Butthey'renot.Amanwillaskathousandquestions,andneverresttillhe'sfoundoutasmuchashecanaboutanythinghesees,andawomaniscontenthardlyeventoseeit." "IhopeyouruncleisaChurchman,"wasMrs.Morrison'sunexpectedreply. Priscilla'smindcouldnotleaplikethis,andshehesitatedamomentandsmiled.("It'sthefirsttimeshe'slookedpleasant,"thoughtMrs.Morrison,"andnowit'sinthewrongplace.") "Hewasborn,ofcourse,intheLutheranfaith,"saidPriscilla. "Oh,ahorridfaith.Excuseme,butitreallyis.Ihopeheisn'tgoingtoupsetSymford?" "UpsetSymford?" "Newpeopleholdingwrongtenetscomingtosuchasmallplacedosometimes,youknow,andyousayheiseloquent.AndwearesuchasimpleandGod-fearinglittlecommunity.AfewyearsagowehadagreatbotherwithaDissentingfamilythatcamehere.Thecottagersquitelosttheirheads." "IthinkIcanpromisethatmyunclewillnottrytoconvertanybody,"saidPriscilla. "Ofcourseyoumeanpervert.Itwouldbeapityifhedid.Itwouldn'tlast,butitwouldgiveusalotoftrouble.WeareverygoodChurchmenhere.Thevicar,andmysontoowhenhe'sathome,setbeautifulexamples.MysonisgoingintotheChurchhimself.Ithasbeenhisdearestwishfromachild.Heth