CHAPTER XV. THE WALK

“Oh,dear!IwishHatfieldhadnotbeensoprecipitate!”saidRosalienextdayatfourP.M.,as,withaportentousyawn,shelaiddownherworsted-workandlookedlistlesslytowardsthewindow.“There’snoinducementtogooutnowandnothingtolookforwardto.Thedayswillbesolonganddullwhentherearenopartiestoenliventhemandtherearenonethisweek,ornexteither,thatIknowof.” “Pityyouweresocrosstohim,”observedMatilda,towhomthislamentationwasaddressed.“He’llnevercomeagain:andIsuspectyoulikedhimafterall.Ihopedyouwouldhavetakenhimforyourbeau,andleftdearHarrytome.” “Humph!mybeaumustbeanAdonisindeed,Matilda,theadmiredofallbeholders,ifIamtobecontentedwithhimalone.I’msorrytoloseHatfield,Iconfessbutthefirstdecentman,ornumberofmen,thatcometosupplyhisplace,willbemorethanwelcome.It’sSundayto-morrow—Idowonderhowhe’lllook,andwhetherhe’llbeabletogothroughtheservice.Mostlikelyhe’llpretendhe’sgotacold,andmakeMr.Westondoitall.” “Nothe!”exclaimedMatilda,somewhatcontemptuously.“Foolasheis,he’snotsosoftasthatcomesto.” HersisterwasslightlyoffendedbuttheeventprovedMatildawasright:thedisappointedloverperformedhispastoraldutiesasusual.Rosalie,indeed,affirmedhelookedverypaleanddejected:hemightbealittlepalerbutthedifference,ifany,wasscarcelyperceptible.Asforhisdejection,Icertainlydidnothearhislaughringingfromthevestryasusual,norhisvoiceloudinhilariousdiscoursethoughIdidhearitupliftedinratingthesextoninamannerthatmadethecongregationstareand,inhistransitstoandfromthepulpitandthecommunion-table,therewasmoreofsolemnpomp,andlessofthatirreverent,self-confident,orratherself-delightedimperiousnesswithwhichheusuallysweptalong—thatairthatseemedtosay,“Youallreverenceandadoreme,Iknowbutifanyonedoesnot,Idefyhimtotheteeth!”Butthemostremarkablechangewas,thatheneveroncesufferedhiseyestowanderinthedirectionofMr.Murray’spew,anddidnotleavethechurchtillweweregone. Mr.Hatfieldhaddoubtlessreceivedaverysevereblowbuthisprideimpelledhimtouseeveryefforttoconcealtheeffectsofit.Hehadbeendisappointedinhiscertainhopeofobtainingnotonlyabeautiful,and,tohim,highlyattractivewife,butonewhoserankandfortunemightgivebrilliancetofarinferiorcharms:hewaslikewise,nodoubt,intenselymortifiedbyhisrepulse,anddeeplyoffendedattheconductofMissMurraythroughout.Itwouldhavegivenhimnolittleconsolationtohaveknownhowdisappointedshewastofi