CHAPTER XIV. THE RECTOR

oudoitthebetterthen.” “NoItellyou,Iliketoamusemyselfwithhim.Besides,hedoesn’treallythinkIlikehim.Itakegoodcareofthat:youdon’tknowhowcleverlyImanage.HemaypresumetothinkhecaninducemetolikehimforwhichIshallpunishhimashedeserves.” “Well,mindyoudon’tgivetoomuchreasonforsuchpresumption—that’sall,”repliedI. Butallmyexhortationswereinvain:theyonlymadehersomewhatmoresolicitoustodisguiseherwishesandherthoughtsfromme.ShetalkednomoretomeabouttheRectorbutIcouldseethathermind,ifnotherheart,wasfixeduponhimstill,andthatshewasintentuponobtaininganotherinterview:forthough,incompliancewithhermother’srequest,Iwasnowconstitutedthecompanionofherramblesforatime,shestillpersistedinwanderinginthefieldsandlanesthatlayinthenearestproximitytotheroadand,whethershetalkedtomeorreadthebookshecarriedinherhand,shekeptcontinuallypausingtolookroundher,orgazeuptheroadtoseeifanyonewascomingandifahorsemantrottedby,Icouldtellbyherunqualifiedabuseofthepoorequestrian,whoeverhemightbe,thatshehatedhimbecausehewasnotMr.Hatfield. “Surely,”thoughtI,“sheisnotsoindifferenttohimasshebelievesherselftobe,orwouldhaveotherstobelieveherandhermother’sanxietyisnotsowhollycauselessassheaffirms.” Threedayspassedaway,andhedidnotmakehisappearance.Ontheafternoonofthefourth,aswewerewalkingbesidethepark-palingsinthememorablefield,eachfurnishedwithabook(forIalwaystookcaretoprovidemyselfwithsomethingtobedoingwhenshedidnotrequiremetotalk),shesuddenlyinterruptedmystudiesbyexclaiming— “Oh,MissGrey!dobesokindastogoandseeMarkWood,andtakehiswifehalf-a-crownfromme—Ishouldhavegivenorsentitaweekago,butquiteforgot.There!”saidshe,throwingmeherpurse,andspeakingveryfast—“Nevermindgettingitoutnow,buttakethepurseandgivethemwhatyoulikeIwouldgowithyou,butIwanttofinishthisvolume.I’llcomeandmeetyouwhenI’vedoneit.Bequick,willyou—and—oh,waithadn’tyoubetterreadtohimabit?Runtothehouseandgetsomesortofagoodbook.Anythingwilldo.” IdidasIwasdesiredbut,suspectingsomethingfromherhurriedmannerandthesuddennessoftherequest,IjustglancedbackbeforeIquittedthefield,andtherewasMr.Hatfieldabouttoenteratthegatebelow.Bysendingmetothehouseforabook,shehadjustpreventedmymeetinghimontheroad. “Nevermind!”thoughtI,“there’llbenogreatharmdone.PoorMarkwillbegladofthehalf-crown,andperhapsofthegoodbooktooandiftheRectordoesstealMissRosalie’sheart,itwillonlyhumbleherpridealittleandiftheydogetmarriedatlast,itwillonlysaveherfromaworsefateandshewillbequiteagoodenoughpartnerforhim,andheforher.” MarkWoodwastheconsumptivelabourerwhomImentionedbefore.Hewasnowrapidlywearingaway.MissMurray,byherliberality,obtainedliterallytheblessingofhimthatwasreadytoperishforthoughthehalf-crowncouldbeofverylittleservicetohim,hewasgladofitforthesakeofhiswifeandchildren,sosoontobewidowedandfatherless.AfterIhadsatafewminutes,andreadalittleforthecomfortandedificationofhimselfandhisafflictedwife,IleftthembutIhadnotproceededfiftyyardsbeforeIencounteredMr.Weston,apparentlyonhiswaytothesameabode.Hegreetedmeinhisusualquiet,unaffectedway,stoppedtoinquireabouttheconditionofthesickmanandhisfamily,andwithasortofunconscious,brotherlydisregardtoceremonytookfrommyhandthebookoutofwhichIhadbeenreading,turnedoveritspages,madeafewbriefbutverysensibleremarks,andrestoreditthentoldmeaboutsomepoorsuffererhehadjustbeenvisiting,talkedalittleaboutNancyBrown,madeafewobservationsuponmylittleroughfriendtheterrier,thatwasfriskingathisfeet,andfinallyuponthebeautyoftheweather,anddeparted. Ihaveomittedtogiveadetailofhiswords,fromanotionthattheywouldnotinterestthereaderastheydidme,andnotbecauseIhaveforgottenthem.NoIrememberthemwellforIthoughtthemoverandoveragaininthecourseofthatdayandmanysucceedingones,Iknownothowoftenandrecalledeveryintonationofhisdeep,clearvoice,everyflashofhisquick,browneye,andeverygleamofhispleasant,buttootransientsmile.Suchaconfessionwilllookveryabsurd,Ifear:butnomatter:Ihavewrittenit:andtheythatreaditwillnotknowthewriter. WhileIwaswalkingalong,happywithin,andpleasedwithallaround,MissMurraycamehasteningtomeetmeherbuoyantstep,flushedcheek,andradiantsmilesshowingthatshe,too,washappy,inherownway.Runninguptome,sheputherarmthroughmine,andwithoutwaitingtorecoverbreath,began—“Now,MissGrey,thinkyourselfhighlyhonoured,forI’mcometotellyoumynewsbeforeI’vebreathedawordofittoanyoneelse.” “Well,whatisit?” “Oh,suchnews!Inthefirstplace,youmustknowthatMr.Hatfieldcameuponmejustafteryouweregone.IwasinsuchawayforfearpapaormammashouldseehimbutyouknowIcouldn’tcallyoubackagain,andso