CHAPTER III. MR. YORKE.

ad?Youknowyou'renot.However,herearetherestapproaching.Andhere,bytheLord,isanothersetwithlightsintheirpitchers,likethearmyofGideonandaswe'veth'parsonwi',us—good-evening,Mr.Helstone—we'sedo." Mr.Helstonereturnedthesalutationoftheindividualinthegigverystifflyindeed.Thatindividualproceeded,— "We'reelevenstrongmen,andthere'sbothhorsesandchariotsamangus.Ifwecouldonlyfallinwi'someofthesestarvedragamuffinsofframe-breakerswecouldwinagrandvictory.Wecouldiv'ryonebeaWellington—thatwouldpleaseye,Mr.Helstone—andsichparagraphsaswecouldcontrivefort'papers!Briarfieldsuldbefamous.Butwe'sehevacolumnandahalfi'th'Stilbro'Courierowerthisjob,asitis,Idaresay.I'seexpectnoless." "AndI'llpromiseyounoless,Mr.Yorke,forI'llwritethearticlemyself,"returnedtherector. "Tobesure—sartainly!Andmindyerecommendweelthatthem'atbraket'bitso'frames,andteedJoeScott'slegswi'band,suldbehungwithoutbenefito'clergy.It'sahangingmatter,orsuldbe.Nodoubto'that." "IfIjudgedthemI'dgivethemshortshrift!"criedMoore."ButImeantoletthemquitealonethisbout,togivethemropeenough,certainthatintheendtheywillhangthemselves." "Letthemalone,willye,Moore?Doyoupromisethat?" "Promise!No.AllImeantosayis,Ishallgivemyselfnoparticulartroubletocatchthembutifonefallsinmyway——" "You'llsnaphimup,ofcourse.Onlyyouwouldrathertheywoulddosomethingworsethanmerelystopawagonbeforeyoureckonwiththem.Well,we'llsaynomoreonthesubjectatpresent.Hereweareatmydoor,gentlemen,andIhopeyouandthemenwillstepin.Youwillnoneofyoubetheworseofalittlerefreshment." MooreandHelstoneopposedthispropositionasunnecessary.Itwas,however,pressedonthemsocourteously,andthenight,besides,wassoinclement,andthegleamfromthemuslin-curtainedwindowsofthehousebeforewhichtheyhadhaltedlookedsoinviting,thatatlengththeyyielded.Mr.Yorke,afterhavingalightedfromhisgig,whichheleftinchargeofamanwhoissuedfromanoutbuildingonhisarrival,ledthewayin. ItwillhavebeenremarkedthatMr.Yorkevariedalittleinhisphraseology.NowhespokebroadYorkshire,andanonheexpressedhimselfinverypureEnglish.Hismannerseemedliabletoequalalternations.Hecouldbepoliteandaffable,andhecouldbebluntandrough.Hisstationthenyoucouldnoteasilydeterminebyhisspeechanddemeanour.Perhapstheappearanceofhisresidencemaydecideit. Themenherecommendedtotakethekitchenway,sayingthathewould"seethemservedwi'summattotastepresently."Thegentlemenwereusheredinatthefrontentrance.Theyfoundthemselvesinamattedhall,linedalmosttotheceilingwithpictures.Throughthistheywereconductedtoalargeparlour,withamagnificentfireinthegrate—themostcheerfulofroomsitappearedasawhole,andwhenyoucametoexaminedetails,theenliveningeffectwasnotdiminished.Therewasnosplendour,buttherewastasteeverywhere,unusualtaste—thetaste,youwouldhavesaid,ofatravelledman,ascholar,andagentleman.AseriesofItalianviewsdeckedthewalls.Eachofthesewasaspecimenoftrueart.Aconnoisseurhadselectedthemtheyweregenuineandvaluable.Evenbycandle-lightthebrightclearskies,thesoftdistances,withblueairquiveringbetweentheeyeandthehills,thefreshtints,andwell-massedlightsandshadows,charmedtheview.Thesubjectswereallpastoral,thescen