CHAPTER V. THE UNCLE

uchamusements,”answeredI,asmeeklyasIcould,tomakeupforsuchunusualpertinacity.“‘Blessedarethemerciful,fortheyshallobtainmercy.’” “Oh!ofcoursebutthatreferstoourconducttowardseachother.” “‘Themercifulmanshowsmercytohisbeast,’”Iventuredtoadd. “Ithinkyouhavenotshownmuchmercy,”repliedshe,withashort,bitterlaugh“killingthepoorbirdsbywholesaleinthatshockingmanner,andputtingthedearboytosuchmiseryforamerewhim.” Ijudgeditprudenttosaynomore.ThiswasthenearestapproachtoaquarrelIeverhadwithMrs.BloomfieldaswellasthegreatestnumberofwordsIeverexchangedwithheratonetime,sincethedayofmyfirstarrival. ButMr.RobsonandoldMrs.BloomfieldwerenottheonlyguestswhosecomingtoWellwoodHouseannoyedmeeveryvisitordisturbedmemoreorlessnotsomuchbecausetheyneglectedme(thoughIdidfeeltheirconductstrangeanddisagreeableinthatrespect),asbecauseIfounditimpossibletokeepmypupilsawayfromthem,asIwasrepeatedlydesiredtodo:Tommusttalktothem,andMaryAnnmustbenoticedbythem.Neithertheonenortheotherknewwhatitwastofeelanydegreeofshamefacedness,orevencommonmodesty.Theywouldindecentlyandclamorouslyinterrupttheconversationoftheirelders,teasethemwiththemostimpertinentquestions,roughlycollarthegentlemen,climbtheirkneesuninvited,hangabouttheirshouldersorrifletheirpockets,pulltheladies’gowns,disordertheirhair,tumbletheircollars,andimportunatelybegfortheirtrinkets. Mrs.Bloomfieldhadthesensetobeshockedandannoyedatallthis,butshehadnotsensetopreventit:sheexpectedmetopreventit.ButhowcouldI—whentheguests,withtheirfineclothesandnewfaces,continuallyflatteredandindulgedthem,outofcomplaisancetotheirparents—howcouldI,withmyhomelygarments,every-dayface,andhonestwords,drawthemaway?Istrainedeverynervetodoso:bystrivingtoamusethem,IendeavouredtoattractthemtomysidebytheexertionofsuchauthorityasIpossessed,andbysuchseverityasIdaredtouse,Itriedtodeterthemfromtormentingtheguestsandbyreproachingtheirunmannerlyconduct,tomakethemashamedtorepeatit.Buttheyknewnoshametheyscornedauthoritywhichhadnoterrorstobackitandasforkindnessandaffection,eithertheyhadnohearts,orsuchastheyhadweresostronglyguarded,andsowellconcealed,thatI,withallmyefforts,hadnotyetdiscoveredhowtoreachthem. Butsoonmytrialsinthisquartercamet