CHAPTER VII. HORTON LODGE

emonstratewithherseriouslyforsuchirrationalconductbutoneachofthoseoccasions,Ireceivedsuchreprehensiveexpostulationsfromhermother,asconvincedmethat,ifIwishedtokeepthesituation,ImustevenletMissMatildagooninherownway. Whenherlessonswereover,however,herill-humourwasgenerallyovertoo:whileridingherspiritedpony,orrompingwiththedogsorherbrothersandsister,butespeciallywithherdearbrotherJohn,shewasashappyasalark.Asananimal,Matildawasallright,fulloflife,vigour,andactivityasanintelligentbeing,shewasbarbarouslyignorant,indocile,carelessandirrationaland,consequently,verydistressingtoonewhohadthetaskofcultivatingherunderstanding,reforminghermanners,andaidinghertoacquirethoseornamentalattainmentswhich,unlikehersister,shedespisedasmuchastherest.Hermotherwaspartlyawareofherdeficiencies,andgavememanyalectureastohowIshouldtrytoformhertastes,andendeavourtorouseandcherishherdormantvanityand,byinsinuating,skilfulflattery,towinherattentiontothedesiredobjects—whichIwouldnotdoandhowIshouldprepareandsmooththepathoflearningtillshecouldglidealongitwithouttheleastexertiontoherself:whichIcouldnot,fornothingcanbetaughttoanypurposewithoutsomelittleexertiononthepartofthelearner. Asamoralagent,Matildawasreckless,headstrong,violent,andunamenabletoreason.Oneproofofthedeplorablestateofhermindwas,thatfromherfather’sexampleshehadlearnedtoswearlikeatrooper.Hermotherwasgreatlyshockedatthe“unlady-liketrick,”andwondered“howshehadpickeditup.”“Butyoucansoonbreakherofit,MissGrey,”saidshe:“itisonlyahabitandifyouwilljustgentlyremindhereverytimeshedoesso,Iamsureshewillsoonlayitaside.”Inotonly“gentlyreminded”her,Itriedtoimpressuponherhowwrongitwas,andhowdistressingtotheearsofdecentpeople:butallinvain:Iwasonlyansweredbyacarelesslaugh,and,“Oh,MissGrey,howshockedyouare!I’msoglad!”or,“Well!Ican’thelpitpapashouldn’thavetaughtme:Ilearneditallfromhimandmaybeabitfromthecoachman.” HerbrotherJohn,aliasMasterMurray,wasaboutelevenwhenIcame:afine,stout,healthyboy,frankandgood-naturedinthemain,andmighthavebeenadecentladhadhebeenproperlyeducatedbutnowhewasasroughasayoungbear,boisterous,unruly,unprincipled,untaught,unteachable—atleast,foragovernessunderhismother’seye.Hismastersatschoolmightbeabletomanagehimbetter—fortoschoolhewassent,greatlytomyrelief,inthecourseofayearinastate,itistrue,ofscandalousignoranceastoLatin,aswellasthemoreusefulthoughmoreneglectedthings:andthis,doubtless,wouldallbelaidtotheaccountofhiseducationhavingbeenentrustedtoanignorantfemaleteacher,whohadpresumedtotakeinhandwhatshewaswhollyincompetenttoperform.Iwasnotdeliveredfromhisbrothertillfulltwelvemonthsafter,whenhealsowasdespatchedinthesamestateofdisgracefulignoranceastheformer. MasterCharleswashismother’speculiardarling.HewaslittlemorethanayearyoungerthanJohn,butmuchsmaller,paler,andlessactiveandrobustapettish,cowardly,capricious,selfishlittlefellow,onlyactiveindoingmischief,andonlycleverininventingfalsehoods:notsimplytohidehisfaults,but,inmeremaliciouswantonness,tobringodiumuponothers.Infact,MasterCharleswasaverygreatnuisancetome:itwasatrialofpatiencetolivewithhimpeaceablytowatchoverhimwasworseandtoteachhim,orpretendtoteachhim,wasinconceivable.Attenyearsold,hecouldnotreadcorrectlytheeasiestlineinthesimplestbookandas,accordingtohismother’sprinciple,hewastobetoldeveryword,beforehehadtimetohesitateorexamineitsorthography,andnevereventobeinformed,asastimulanttoexertion,thatotherboysweremoreforwardthanhe,itisnotsurprisingthathemadebutlittleprogressduringthetwoyearsIhadchargeofhiseducation.HisminuteportionsofLatingrammar,&c.,weretoberepeatedovertohim,tillhechosetosayheknewthem,andthenhewastobehelpedtosaythemifhemademistakesinhislittleeasysumsinarithmetic,theyweretobeshownhimatonce,andthesumdoneforhim,insteadofhisbeinglefttoexercisehisfacultiesinfindingthemouthimselfsothat,ofcourse,hetooknopainstoavoidmistakes,butfrequentlysetdownhisfiguresatrandom,withoutanycalculationatall. Ididnotinvariablyconfinemyselftotheserules:itwasagainstmyconsciencetodosobutIseldomcouldventuretodeviatefromthemintheslightestdegree,withoutincurringthewrathofmylittlepupil,andsubsequentlyofhismammatowhomhewouldrelatemytransgressionsmaliciouslyexaggerated,oradornedwithembellishmentsofhisownandoften,inconsequence,wasIonthepointoflosingorresigningmysituation.But,fortheirsakesathome,Ismotheredmyprideandsuppressedmyindignation,andmanagedtostruggleontillmylittletormentorwasdespatchedtoschoolhisfatherdeclaringthathomeeducationwas“nogoforhim,itwasplainhismotherspoiledhimoutrageously,andhisgovernesscouldmakenohandofhimatall.” AfewmoreobservationsaboutHortonLodgeanditsongoings,andIhavedonewithdrydescriptionforthepresent.ThehousewasaveryrespectableonesuperiortoMr.Bloomfield’s,bothinage,size,andmagnificence:thegardenwasnotsotastefullylaidoutbutinsteadofthesmooth-shavenlawn,theyoungtreesguardedbypalings,thegroveofupstartpoplars,andtheplantationoffirs,therewasawidepark,stockedwithdeer,andbeautifiedbyfineoldtrees.Thesurroundingcountryitselfwaspleasant,asfarasfertilefields,flourishingtrees,quietgreenlanes,andsmilinghedgeswithwild-flowersscatteredalongtheirbanks,couldmakeitbutitwasdepressinglyflattoonebornandnurturedamongtheruggedhillsof——. Weweresituatednearlytwomilesfromthevillagechurch,and,consequently,thefamilycarriagewasputinrequisitioneverySunday