CHAPTER XXIV. THE SANDS

ibleandmorepolite,ifIhadhadmywitsaboutme.Wecontinuedourwalkforaminuteinsilencewhich,however,wasshortlyrelieved(nosmallrelieftome)byMr.Westoncommentinguponthebrightnessofthemorningandthebeautyofthebay,andthenupontheadvantagesA——possessedovermanyotherfashionableplacesofresort. “Youdon’taskwhatbringsmetoA——”saidhe.“Youcan’tsupposeI’mrichenoughtocomeformyownpleasure.” “IheardyouhadleftHorton.” “Youdidn’thear,then,thatIhadgotthelivingofF——?” F——wasavillageabouttwomilesdistantfromA——. “No,”saidI“welivesocompletelyoutoftheworld,evenhere,thatnewsseldomreachesmethroughanyquarterexceptthroughthemediumofthe——Gazette.ButIhopeyoulikeyournewparishandthatImaycongratulateyouontheacquisition?” “Iexpecttolikemyparishbetterayearortwohence,whenIhaveworkedcertainreformsIhavesetmyheartupon—or,atleast,progressedsomestepstowardssuchanachievement.ButyoumaycongratulatemenowforIfinditveryagreeabletohaveaparishalltomyself,withnobodytointerferewithme—tothwartmyplansorcripplemyexertions:andbesides,Ihavearespectablehouseinaratherpleasantneighbourhood,andthreehundredpoundsayearand,infact,Ihavenothingbutsolitudetocomplainof,andnothingbutacompaniontowishfor.” Helookedatmeasheconcluded:andtheflashofhisdarkeyesseemedtosetmyfaceonfiregreatlytomyowndiscomfiture,fortoevinceconfusionatsuchajuncturewasintolerable.Imadeaneffort,therefore,toremedytheevil,anddisclaimallpersonalapplicationoftheremarkbyahasty,ill-expressedreply,totheeffectthat,ifhewaitedtillhewaswellknownintheneighbourhood,hemighthavenumerousopportunitiesforsupplyinghiswantamongtheresidentsofF——anditsvicinity,orthevisitorsofA——,ifherequiredsoampleachoice:notconsideringthecomplimentimpliedbysuchanassertion,tillhisanswermademeawareofit. “Iamnotsopresumptuousastobelievethat,”saidhe,“thoughyoutellitmebutifitwereso,Iamratherparticularinmynotionsofacompanionforlife,andperhapsImightnotfindonetosuitmeamongtheladiesyoumention.” “Ifyourequireperfection,youneverw