CHAPTER VII. HORTON LODGE

morning,andfindhimselfinPortNelson,inNewZealand,withaworldofwatersbetweenhimselfandallthatknewhim. IshallnotsoonforgetthepeculiarfeelingwithwhichIraisedmyblindandlookedoutupontheunknownworld:awide,whitewildernesswasallthatmetmygazeawasteof Desertstossedinsnow, Andheavyladengroves. Idescendedtotheschoolroomwithnoremarkableeagernesstojoinmypupils,thoughnotwithoutsomefeelingofcuriosityrespectingwhatafurtheracquaintancewouldreveal.Onething,amongothersofmoreobviousimportance,Ideterminedwithmyself—ImustbeginwithcallingthemMissandMaster.Itseemedtomeachillingandunnaturalpieceofpunctiliobetweenthechildrenofafamilyandtheirinstructoranddailycompanionespeciallywheretheformerwereintheirearlychildhood,asatWellwoodHousebuteventhere,mycallingthelittleBloomfieldsbytheirsimplenameshadbeenregardedasanoffensiveliberty:astheirparentshadtakencaretoshowme,bycarefullydesignatingthemMasterandMissBloomfield,&c.,inspeakingtome.Ihadbeenveryslowtotakethehint,becausethewholeaffairstruckmeassoveryabsurdbutnowIdeterminedtobewiser,andbeginatoncewithasmuchformandceremonyasanymemberofthefamilywouldbelikelytorequire:and,indeed,thechildrenbeingsomucholder,therewouldbelessdifficultythoughthelittlewordsMissandMasterseemedtohaveasurprisingeffectinrepressingallfamiliar,open-heartedkindness,andextinguishingeverygleamofcordialitythatmightarisebetweenus. AsIcannot,likeDogberry,finditinmyhearttobestowallmytediousnessuponthereader,Iwillnotgoontoborehimwithaminutedetailofallthediscoveriesandproceedingsofthisandthefollowingday.Nodoubthewillbeamplysatisfiedwithaslightsketchofthedifferentmembersofthefamily,andageneralviewofthefirstyearortwoofmysojournamongthem. Tobeginwiththehead:Mr.Murraywas,byallaccounts,ablustering,roystering,countrysquire:adevotedfox-hunter,askilfulhorse-jockeyandfarrier,anactive,practicalfarmer,andaheartybonvivant.Byallaccounts,Isayfor,exceptonSundays,whenhewenttochurch,Ineversawhimfrommonthtomonth:unless,incrossingthehallorwalkinginthegrounds,thefigureofatall,stoutgentleman,withscarletcheeksandcrimsonnose,happenedtocomeacrossmeonwhichoccasions,ifhepassednearenoughtospeak,anunceremoniousnod,accompaniedbya“Morning,MissGrey,”orsomesuchbriefsalutation,wasusuallyvouchsafed.Frequently,indeed,hisloudlaughreachedmefromafarandoftenerstillIheardhimswearingandblasphemingagainstthefootmen,groom,coachman,orsomeotherhaplessdependant. Mrs.Murraywasahandsome,dashingladyofforty,whocertainlyrequiredneitherrougenorpaddingtoaddtohercharmsandwhosechiefenjoymentswere,orseemedtobe,ingivingorfrequentingparties,andindressingattheverytopofthefashion.Ididnotseehertilleleveno’clockonthemorningaftermyarrivalwhenshehonouredmewithavisit,justasmymothermightstepintothekitchentoseeanewservant-girl:yetnotso,either,formymotherwouldhaveseenherimmediatelyafterherarrival,andnotwaitedtillthenextdayand,moreover,shewouldhaveaddressedherinamorekindandfriendlymanner,andgivenhersomewordsofcomfortaswellasaplainexpositionofherdutiesbutMrs.Murraydidneithertheonenortheother.Shejuststeppedintotheschoolroomonherreturnfromorderingdinnerinthehousekeeper’sroom,bademegood-morning,stoodfortwominutesbythefire,saidafewwordsabouttheweatherandthe“ratherrough”journeyImusthavehadyesterdaypettedheryoungestchild—aboyoften—whohadjustbeenwipinghismouthandhandsonhergown,afterindulginginsomesavourymorselfromthehousekeeper’sstoretoldmewhatasweet,goodboyhewasandthensailedout,withaself-complacentsmileuponherface:thinking,nodoubt,thatshehaddonequiteenoughforthepresent,andhadbeendelightfullycondescendingintothebargain.Herchildrenevidentlyheldthesameopinion,andIalonethoughtotherwise. Afterthisshelookedinuponmeonceortwice,duringtheabsenceofmypupils,toenlightenmeconcerningmydutiestowardsthem.Forthegirlssheseemedanxiousonlytorenderthemassuperficiallyattractiveandshowilyaccomplishedastheycouldpossiblybemade,withoutpresenttroubleordiscomforttothemselvesandIwastoactaccordingly—tostudyandstrivetoamuseandoblige,instruct,refine,andpolish,withtheleastpossibleexertionontheirpart,andnoexerciseofauthorityonmine.Withregardtothetwoboys,itwasmuchthesameonlyinsteadofaccomplishments,IwastogetthegreatestpossiblequantityofLatingrammarandValpy’sDelectusintotheirheads,inordertofitthemforschool—thegreatestpossiblequantityatleastwithouttroubletothemselves.Johnmightbea“littlehigh-spirited,”andCharlesmightbealittle“nervousandtedious—” “Butatallevents,MissGrey,”saidshe,“Ihopeyouwillkeepyourtemper,andbemildandpatientthroughoutespeciallywiththedearlittleCharlesheissoextremelynervousandsusceptible,andsoutterlyunaccustomedtoanythingbutthetenderesttreatment.Youwillexcusemynamingthesethingstoyouforthefactis,Ihavehithertofoundallthegovernesses,eventheverybestofthem,faultyinthisparticular.Theywantedthatmeekandquietspirit,whichSt.Matthew,orsomeofthem,saysisbetterthantheputtingonofapparel—youwillknowthepassagetowhichIallude,foryouareaclergyman’sdaughter.ButIhavenodoubtyouwillgivesatisfactioninthisrespectaswellastherest.Andremember,onalloccasions,whenanyoftheyoungpeopledoanythingimproper,ifpersuasionandgentleremonstrancewillnotdo,letoneoftheotherscomeandtellmeforIcanspeaktothemmoreplainlythanitwouldbeproperforyoutodo.Andmakethemashappyasyoucan,MissGrey,andIdaresayyouwilldoverywell.” IobservedthatwhileMrs.Murra