CHAPTER II. THE WAGONS.

s.Butwhatmadeyouhitonthosetwo?" "Becausetheyarethetallest,thehandsomest,andDora,atleast,isthestoutestandasyourfriendMr.Sweetingisbutalittleslightfigure,Iconcludedthat,accordingtoafrequentruleinsuchcases,hepreferredhiscontrast." "YouarerightDoraitis.Buthehasnochance,hashe,Moore?" "WhathasMr.Sweetingbesideshiscuracy?" ThisquestionseemedtotickleMaloneamazingly.Helaughedforfullthreeminutesbeforeheansweredit. "WhathasSweeting?Why,Davidhashisharp,orflute,whichcomestothesamething.Hehasasortofpinchbeckwatchditto,ringditto,eyeglass.That'swhathehas." "HowwouldheproposetokeepMissSykesingownsonly?" "Ha!ha!Excellent!I'llaskhimthatnexttimeIseehim.I'llroasthimforhispresumption.ButnodoubtheexpectsoldChristopherSykeswoulddosomethinghandsome.Heisrich,ishenot?Theyliveinalargehouse." "Sykescarriesonanextensiveconcern." "Thereforehemustbewealthy,eh?" "Thereforehemusthaveplentytodowithhiswealth,andinthesetimeswouldbeaboutaslikelytothinkofdrawingmoneyfromthebusinesstogivedowriestohisdaughtersasIshouldbetodreamofpullingdownthecottagethere,andconstructingonitsruinsahouseaslargeasFieldhead." "DoyouknowwhatIheard,Moore,theotherday?" "No.PerhapsthatIwasabouttoeffectsomesuchchange.YourBriarfieldgossipsarecapableofsayingthatorsillierthings." "ThatyouweregoingtotakeFieldheadonalease(Ithoughtitlookedadismalplace,by-the-bye,to-night,asIpassedit),andthatitwasyourintentiontosettleaMissSykesthereasmistress—tobemarried,inshort,ha!ha!Now,whichisit?Dora,Iamsure.Yousaidshewasthehandsomest." "IwonderhowoftenithasbeensettledthatIwastobemarriedsinceIcametoBriarfield.Theyhaveassignedmeeverymarriageablesinglewomanbyturnsinthedistrict.NowitwasthetwoMissesWynns—firstthedark,thenthelightonenowthered-hairedMissArmitagethenthematureAnnPearson.AtpresentyouthrowonmyshouldersallthetribeoftheMissesSykes.OnwhatgroundsthisgossiprestsGodknows.IvisitnowhereIseekfemalesocietyaboutasassiduouslyasyoudo,Mr.Malone.IfeverIgotoWhinbury,itisonlytogiveSykesorPearsonacallintheircounting-house,whereourdiscussionsrunonothertopicsthanmatrimony,andourthoughtsareoccupiedwithotherthingsthancourtships,establishments,dowries.Theclothwecan'tsell,thehandswecan'temploy,themillswecan'trun,theperversecourseofeventsgenerally,whichwecannotalter,fillourhearts,Itakeit,prettywellatpresent,tothetolerablycompleteexclusionofsuchfigmentsaslove-making,etc." "Igoalongwithyoucompletely,Moore.IfthereisonenotionIhatemorethananother,itisthatofmarriage—Imeanmarriageinthevulgarweaksense,asamerematterofsentiment—twobeggarlyfoolsagreeingtounitetheirindigencebysomefantastictieoffeeling.Humbug!Butanadvantageousconnection,suchascanbeformedinconsonancewithdignityofviewsandpermanencyofsolidinterests,isnotsobad—eh?" "No,"respondedMoore,inanabsentmanner.Thesubjectseemedtohavenointerestforhimhedidnotpursueit.Aftersittingforsometimegazingatthefirewithapreoccupiedair,hesuddenlyturnedhishead. "Hark!"saidhe."Didyouhearwheels?" Rising,hewenttothewindow,openedit,andlistened.Hesoonclosedit."Itisonlythesoundofthewindrising,"heremarked,"andtherivuletalittleswollen,rushingdownthehollow.Iexpectedthosewagonsatsixitisnearninenow." "Seriously,doyousupposethattheputtingupofthisnewmachinerywillbringyouintodanger?"inquiredMalone."Helstoneseemstothinkitwill." "Ionlywishthemachines—theframes—weresafehere,andlodgedwithinthewallsofthismill.Onceputup,Idefytheframe-breakers.Letthemonlypaymeavisitandtaketheconsequences.Mymillismycastle." "Onedespisessuchlowscoundrels,"observedMalone,inaprofoundveinofreflection."Ialmostwishapartywouldcalluponyouto-nightbuttheroadseemedextremelyquietasIcamealong.Isawnothingastir." "YoucamebytheRedhouse?" "Yes." "Therewouldbenothingonthatroad.ItisinthedirectionofStilbro'therisklies." "Andyouthinkthereisrisk?" "Whatthesefellowshavedonetootherstheymaydotome.Thereisonlythisdifference:mostofthemanufacturersseemparalyzedwhentheyareattacked.Sykes,forinstance,whenhisdressing-shopwassetonfireandburnedtotheground,whentheclothwastornfromhistentersandleftinshredsinthefield,tooknostepstodiscoverorpunishthemiscreants:hegaveupastamelyasarabbitunderthejawsofaferret.NowI,ifIknowmyself,shouldstandbymytrade,mymill,andmymachinery." "Helstonesaysthesethreeareyourgodsthatthe'OrdersinCouncil'arewithyouanothernameforthesevendeadlysinsthatCastlereaghisyourAntichrist,andthewar-partyhislegions." "YesIabhorallthesethingsbecausetheyruinme.Theystandinmyway.Icannotgeton.Icannotexecutemyplansbecauseofthem.Iseemyselfbaffledateveryturnbytheiruntowardeffects." "Butyouarerichandthriving,Moore?" "IamveryrichinclothIcannotsell.Youshouldstepintomywarehouseyonder,andobservehowitispiledtotheroofwithpieces.RoakesandPearsonareinthesamecondition.Americausedtobetheirmarket,buttheOrdersinCouncilhavecutthatoff." Malonedidnotseempreparedtocarryonbrisklyaconversationofthissort.Hebegantoknocktheheelsofhisbootstogether,andtoyawn. "Andthentothink,"continuedMr.Moorewhoseemedtoomuchtakenupwiththecurrentofhisownthoughtstonotethesymptomsofhisguest'sennui—"tothinkthattheseridiculousgossipsofWhinburyandBriarfieldwillkeeppesteringoneaboutbeingmarried!Asiftherewasnothingtobedoneinlifebutto'payattention,'astheysay,tosomeyounglady,andthentogotochurchwithher,andthentostartonabridaltour,andthentorunthrougharoundofvisits,andthen,Isuppose,tobe'havingafamily.'Oh,quelediableemporte!"Hebrokeofftheaspirationintowhichhewaslaunchingwithacertainenergy,andadded,morecalmly,"Ibelievewomentalkandthinkonlyofthesethings,andtheynaturallyfancymen'smindssimilarlyoccupied." "Ofcourse—ofcourse,"assentedMalone"butnevermindthem."Andhewhistled,lookedimpatientlyround,andseemedtofe