CHAPTER XVIII. MIRTH AND MOURNING

onesoyoungandgay,and—andinteresting,toexpressmanythingsbyoneword—whosegreatest,ifnotheronlyfault,appearstobethoughtlessness—notriflingfaulttobesure,sinceitrendersthepossessorliabletoalmosteveryother,andexposeshimtosomanytemptations—butitseemsapitythatsheshouldbethrownawayonsuchaman.Itwashermother’swish,Isuppose?” “Yesandherowntoo,Ithink,forshealwayslaughedatmyattemptstodissuadeherfromthestep.” “Youdidattemptit?Then,atleast,youwillhavethesatisfactionofknowingthatitisnofaultofyours,ifanyharmshouldcomeofit.AsforMrs.Murray,Idon’tknowhowshecanjustifyherconduct:ifIhadsufficientacquaintancewithher,I’daskher.” “Itseemsunnatural:butsomepeoplethinkrankandwealththechiefgoodand,iftheycansecurethatfortheirchildren,theythinktheyhavedonetheirduty.” “True:butisitnotstrangethatpersonsofexperience,whohavebeenmarriedthemselves,shouldjudgesofalsely?”Matildanowcamepantingback,withthelaceratedbodyoftheyounghareinherhand. “Wasityourintentiontokillthathare,ortosaveit,MissMurray?”askedMr.Weston,apparentlypuzzledathergleefulcountenance. “Ipretendedtowanttosaveit,”sheanswered,honestlyenough,“asitwassoglaringlyoutofseasonbutIwasbetterpleasedtoseeitlolled.However,youcanbothwitnessthatIcouldn’thelpit:Princewasdeterminedtohaveherandheclutchedherbytheback,andkilledherinaminute!Wasn’titanoblechase?” “Very!forayoungladyafteraleveret.” Therewasaquietsarcasminthetoneofhisreplywhichwasnotlostuponhersheshruggedhershoulders,and,turningawaywithasignificant“Humph!”askedmehowIhadenjoyedthefun.IrepliedthatIsawnofuninthematterbutadmittedthatIhadnotobservedthetransactionverynarrowly. “Didn’tyouseehowitdoubled—justlikeanoldhare?anddidn’tyouhearitscream?” “I’mhappytosayIdidnot.” “Itcriedoutjustlikeachild.” “Poorlittlething!Whatwillyoudowithit?” “Comealong—Ishallleaveitinthefirsthousewecometo.Idon’twanttotakeithome,forfearpapashouldscoldmeforlettingthedogkillit.” Mr.Westonwasnowgone,andwetoowentonourwaybutaswereturned,afterhavingdepositedthehareinafarm-house,anddemolishedsomespice-cakeandcurrant-wineinexchange,wemethimreturningalsofromtheexecutionofhismission,whateveritmightbe.Hecarriedinhishandaclusterofbeautifulbluebells,whichheofferedtomeobserving,withasmile,thatthoughhehadseensolittleofmeforthelasttwomonths,hehadnotforgottenthatbluebellswerenumberedamongmyfavouriteflowers.Itwasdoneasasimpleactofgoodwill,withoutcomplimentorremarkablecourtesy,oranylookthatcouldbeconstruedinto“reverential,tenderadoration”(videRosalieMurray)butstill,itwassomethingtofindmyunimportantsayingsowellremembered:itwassomethingthathehadnoticedsoaccuratelythetimeIhadceasedtobevisible. “Iwastold,”saidhe,“thatyouwereaperfectbookworm,MissGrey:socompletelyabsorbedinyourstudiesthatyouwerelosttoeveryotherpleasure.” “Yes,andit’squitetrue!”criedMatilda. “No,Mr.Weston:don’tbelieveit:it’sascandalouslibel.Theseyoungladiesaretoofondofmakingrandomassertionsattheexpenseoftheirfriendsandyououghttobecarefulhowyoulistentothem.” “Ihopethisassertionisgroundle