CHAPTER XI. THE COTTAGERS

AsIhadnowonlyoneregularpupil—thoughshecontrivedtogivemeasmuchtroubleasthreeorfourordinaryones,andthoughhersisterstilltooklessonsinGermananddrawing—IhadconsiderablymoretimeatmyowndisposalthanIhadeverbeenblessedwithbefore,sinceIhadtakenuponmethegoverness’syokewhichtimeIdevotedpartlytocorrespondencewithmyfriends,partlytoreading,study,andthepracticeofmusic,singing,&c.,partlytowanderinginthegroundsoradjacentfields,withmypupilsiftheywantedme,aloneiftheydidnot. Often,whentheyhadnomoreagreeableoccupationathand,theMissesMurraywouldamusethemselveswithvisitingthepoorcottagersontheirfather’sestate,toreceivetheirflatteringhomage,ortoheartheoldstoriesorgossipingnewsofthegarrulousoldwomenor,perhaps,toenjoythepurerpleasureofmakingthepoorpeoplehappywiththeircheeringpresenceandtheiroccasionalgifts,soeasilybestowed,sothankfullyreceived.Sometimes,IwascalledupontoaccompanyoneorbothofthesistersinthesevisitsandsometimesIwasdesiredtogoalone,tofulfilsomepromisewhichtheyhadbeenmorereadytomakethantoperformtocarrysomesmalldonation,orreadtoonewhowassickorseriouslydisposed:andthusImadeafewacquaintancesamongthecottagersand,occasionally,Iwenttoseethemonmyownaccount. Igenerallyhadmoresatisfactioningoingalonethanwitheitheroftheyoungladiesforthey,chieflyowingtotheirdefectiveeducation,comportedthemselvestowardstheirinferiorsinamannerthatwashighlydisagreeableformetowitness.Theynever,inthought,exchangedplaceswiththemand,consequently,hadnoconsiderationfortheirfeelings,regardingthemasanorderofbeingsentirelydifferentfromthemselves.Theywouldwatchthepoorcreaturesattheirmeals,makinguncivilremarksabouttheirfood,andtheirmannerofeatingtheywouldlaughattheirsimplenotionsandprovincialexpressions,tillsomeofthemscarcelydurstventuretospeaktheywouldcallthegraveelderlymenandwomenoldfoolsandsillyoldblockheadstotheirfaces:andallthiswithoutmeaningtooffend.Icouldseethatthepeoplewereoftenhurtandannoyedbysuchconduct,thoughtheirfearofthe“grandladies”preventedthemfromtestifyinganyresentmentbuttheyneverperceivedit.Theythoughtthat,asthesecottagerswerepooranduntaught,theymustbestupidandbrutishandaslongasthey,theirsuperiors,condescendedtotalktothem,andtogivethemshillingsandhalf-crowns,orarticlesofclothing,theyhadarighttoamusethemselves,evenattheirexpenseandthepeoplemustadorethemasangelsoflight,condescendingtoministertotheirnecessities,andenlightentheirhumbledwellings. Imademanyandvariousattemptstodelivermypupilsfromthesedelusivenotionswithoutalarmingtheirpride—whichwaseasilyoffended,andnotsoonappeased—butwithlittleapparentresultandIknownotwhichwasthemorereprehensibleofthetwo:MatildawasmorerudeandboisterousbutfromRosalie’swomanlyageandlady-likeexteriorbetterthingswereexpected:yetshewasasprovokinglycarelessandinconsiderateasagiddychildoftwelve. OnebrightdayinthelastweekofFebruary,Iwaswalkinginthepark,enjoyingthethreefoldluxuryofsolitude,abook,andpleasantweatherforMissMatildahadsetoutonherdailyride,andMissMurraywasgoneinthecarriagewithhermammatopaysomemorningcalls.ButitstruckmethatIoughttoleavetheseselfishpleasures,andtheparkwithitsgloriouscanopyofbrightbluesky,thewestwindsoundingthroughitsyetleaflessbranches,thesnow-wreathsstilllingeringinitshollows,butmeltingfastbeneaththesun,andthegracefuldeerbrowsingonitsmoistherbagealreadyassumingthefreshnessandverdureofspring—andgotothecottageofoneNancyBrown,awidow,whosesonwasatworkalldayinthefields,andwhowasafflictedwithaninflammationintheeyeswhichhadforsometimeincapacitatedherfromreading:toherowngreatgrief,forshewasawomanofaserious,thoughtfulturnofmind.Iaccordinglywent,andfoundheralone,asusual,inherlittle,close,darkcottage,redolentofsmokeandconfinedair,butastidyandcleanasshecouldmakeit.Shewasseatedbesideherlittlefire(consistingofafewredcindersandabitofstick),busilyknitting,withasmallsackclothcushionatherfeet,placedfortheaccommodationofhergentlefriendthecat,whowasseatedthereon,withherlongtailhalfencirclinghervelvetpaws,andherhalf-closedeyesdreamilygazingonthelow,crookedfender. “Well,Nancy,howareyouto-day?” “Why,middling,Miss,i’myseln—myeyesisnobetter,butI’madealeasieri’mymindnorIhavebeen,”repliedshe,risingtowelcomemewithacontentedsmilewhichIwasgladtosee,forNancyhadbeensomewhatafflictedwithreligiousmelancholy.Icongratulatedheruponthechange.Sheagreedthatitwasagreatblessing,andexpressedherself“rightdownthankfulforit”adding,“IfitpleaseGodtosparemysight,andmakemesoasIcanreadmyBibleagain,IthinkIshallbeashappyasaqueen.” “IhopeHewill,Nancy,”repliedI“and,meantime,I’llcomeandreadtoyounowandthen,whenIhavealittletimetospare.” Withexpressionsofgratefulpleasure,thepoorwomanmovedtogetmeachairbut,asIsavedherthetrouble,shebusiedherselfwithstirringthefire,andaddingafewmorestickstothedecayingembersandthen,takingherwell-usedBiblefromtheshelf,dusteditcarefully,andgaveitme.Onmyaskingiftherewasanyparticularpartsheshouldlikemetoread,sheanswer