CHAPTER XV. THE WALK

ndhimapparentlysolittlemoved,andtoseethathewasabletorefrainfromcastingasingleglanceatherthroughoutbothservicesthough,shedeclared,itshowedhewasthinkingofherallthetime,orhiseyeswouldhavefallenuponher,ifitwereonlybychance:butiftheyhadsochancedtofall,shewouldhaveaffirmeditwasbecausetheycouldnotresisttheattraction.Itmighthavepleasedhim,too,insomedegree,tohaveseenhowdullanddissatisfiedshewasthroughoutthatweek(thegreaterpartofit,atleast),forlackofherusualsourceofexcitementandhowoftensheregrettedhaving“usedhimupsosoon,”likeachildthat,havingdevoureditsplumcaketoohastily,sitssuckingitsfingers,andvainlylamentingitsgreediness. AtlengthIwascalledupon,onefinemorning,toaccompanyherinawalktothevillage.OstensiblyshewenttogetsomeshadesofBerlinwool,atatolerablyrespectableshopthatwaschieflysupportedbytheladiesofthevicinity:really—ItrustthereisnobreachofcharityinsupposingthatshewentwiththeideaofmeetingeitherwiththeRectorhimself,orsomeotheradmirerbythewayforaswewentalong,shekeptwondering“whatHatfieldwoulddoorsay,ifwemethim,”&c.&c.aswepassedMr.Green’spark-gates,she“wonderedwhetherhewasathome—greatstupidblockhead”asLadyMeltham’scarriagepassedus,she“wonderedwhatMr.Harrywasdoingthisfineday”andthenbegantoabusehiselderbrotherforbeing“suchafoolastogetmarriedandgoandliveinLondon.” “Why,”saidI,“IthoughtyouwantedtoliveinLondonyourself.” “Yes,becauseit’ssodullhere:butthenhemakesitstilldullerbytakinghimselfoff:andifhewerenotmarriedImighthavehiminsteadofthatodiousSirThomas.” Then,observingtheprintsofahorse’sfeetonthesomewhatmiryroad,she“wonderedwhetheritwasagentleman’shorse,”andfinallyconcludeditwas,fortheimpressionsweretoosmalltohavebeenmadebya“greatclumsycart-horse”andthenshe“wonderedwhotheridercouldbe,”andwhetherweshouldmeethimcomingback,forshewassurehehadonlypassedthatmorningandlastly,whenweenteredthevillageandsawonlyafewofitshumbleinhabitantsmovingabout,she“wonderedwhythestupidpeoplecouldn’tkeepintheirhousesshewassureshedidn’twanttoseetheiruglyfaces,anddirty,vulgarclothes—itwasn’tforthatshecametoHorton!” Amidallthis,Iconfess,Iwondered,too,insecret,whetherweshouldmeet,orcatchaglimpseofsomebodyelseandaswepassedhislodgings,Ievenwentsofarastowonderwhetherhewasatthewindow.Onenteringtheshop,MissMurraydesiredmetostandinthedoorwaywhileshetr