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ositivelyrefusedtocallthePrincessEthel.IthadanalmostequalobjectiontoaddressingherasnieceandithadamostfatalhabitofslippingoutGrandDucalHighnesses.True,atfirsttheymostlytalkedGermantogether,butthetendencytotalkEnglishgrewmoremarkedeverydayitwasintheairtheybreathed,andtheybothcouldtalkitsofatallywell.Upatthecottagesamongtheworkmen,orwhentheywerejoinedbyMr.Dawson,grownzealoustohelp,orbyeitheroftheyoungmenRobinandTussie,whoseemedconstantlytobepassing,thedangertoowasgreat.FritzingwassoconsciousofitthatheusedtobreakoutintoperspirationswheneverPriscillawaswithhiminpublic,andhisveryperspirationswereconspicuous.Thestrainmadehismanneroddlynervouswhenspeakingtoorofhisniece,andhebecamethesubjectofmuchconjecturetotheobservantRobin.Robinthoughtthatinspiteofhercaressingwayswithherunclethegirlmustbeprivatelyadreadfultyrant.Itseemeddifficulttobelieve,butRobinpridedhimselfonbeingreadytobelieveanythingatamoment'snotice,especiallyifitwastheworst,andhecalledithavinganopenmind.Thegirlwasobviouslythemostspoiltofgirls.Noonecouldhelpseeingthat.Herleastwishseemedtobefortheuncleacommandthatwasnoteventobetalkedabout.Yettheunclewasneveropenlyaffectionatetoher.Italmostseemedasthoughshemusthavesomesecretholdoverhim,beinpossession,perhaps,ofsomefactconnectedwithaguiltypast.Butthenthisgirlandguiltypasts!Why,fromthelookinhereyesshecouldneverevenhaveheardofsuchthings.Robinthoughthimselffairlyexperiencedinknowledgeofhumannature,buthehadtoadmitthathehadneveryetmetsoincomprehensibleapair.HewantedtotalktoTussieShuttleworthaboutthem,butTussiewouldnottalk.ToTussieitseemedimpossibletotalkaboutPriscillabecauseshewassacredtohim,andshewassacredtohimbecauseheadoredherso.Headoredhertoanextentthatamazesmetothinkof,worshippingherbeautywithalltheheadlongself-abasementofaveryyoungmanwhoisalsoapoet.Hissoulwasaswaxwithinhim,softestwaxpunchedalloverwithlittlepicturesofPriscilla.Nomotherishappywhileherchild'ssoulisinthisstate,andthoughhewasextremelydecent,andhiditandsmothereditandchokeditwithalltheenergyhepossessed,LadyShuttleworthknewverywellwhatwasgoingoninsidehimandspenthersparetimetryingtodecidewhethertolaughortocryoverherpoorTussie."WhendoesRobingobacktoCambridge?"sheaskedMrs.Morrisonthenexttimeshemether,whichwasinthefrontgardenofasickoldwoman'scottage. Mrs.MorrisonwasgoinginwithaleafletLadyShuttleworthwasgoinginwithapoundoftea.FromthisplacetheycouldseePriscilla'scottage,andRobinwasnailingupitscreepersinthesightofallSymford. "Ah—Iknowwhatyoumean,"saidMrs.Morrisonquickly. "Itisalwayssuchapitytoseeemotionswasted,"saidLadyShuttleworthslowly,asifweighingeachword. "Wasted?Youdothinkshe'sanadventuress,then?"saidMrs.Morrisoneagerly. "Sh-sh.Mydear,howcouldIthinkanythingsounkind?Butwewhoareold"—Mrs.Morrisonjerkedupherchin—"andcanlookoncalmly,doseethepityofitwhenbeautifulemotionsarelavishedandwasted.Somuchforce,somuchtimefritteredawayindreams.Andallsouseless,sobarren.NothingIthinkissosadaswaste,andnothingissowastefulasaone-sidedlove." Mrs.Morrisongavethepinktullebowshelikedtowearintheafternoonsatherthroatanagitatedpat,andtriedtoconcealhermiserythatAugustusShuttleworthshouldalsohavesuccumbedtoMissNeumann-Schultz.ThathehaddonesowasveryclearfromLadyShuttleworth'sportentousremarks,foritwasnotinhumannatureforawomantobethussolemnaboutthewastedemotionsofotherpeople'ssons.HisdoingsomightsaveRobin'sfuture,butitwouldruinNe