CHAPTER VI. CORIOLANUS.

nsokindlythatinhearinghimshehadreceivedasenseofhappinesssufficienttokeephergladforthewholeday. Themorningpassedasusual.Mademoiselle,everbreathlesslybusy,spentitinbustlingfromkitchentoparlour,nowscoldingSarah,nowlookingoverCaroline'sexerciseorhearingherrepetition-lesson.Howeverfaultlesslythesetaskswereachieved,shenevercommended:itwasamaximwithherthatpraiseisinconsistentwithateacher'sdignity,andthatblame,inmoreorlessunqualifiedmeasure,isindispensabletoit.Shethoughtincessantreprimand,severeorslight,quitenecessarytothemaintenanceofherauthorityandifnopossibleerrorwastobefoundinthelesson,itwasthepupil'scarriage,orair,ordress,ormien,whichrequiredcorrection. Theusualaffraytookplaceaboutthedinner,whichmeal,whenSarahatlastbroughtitintotheroom,shealmostflunguponthetable,withalookthatexpressedquiteplainly,"Ineverdishedsuchstuffi'mylifeaforeit'snotfitfordogs."NotwithstandingSarah'sscorn,itwasasavouryrepastenough.Thesoupwasasortofpuréeofdriedpeas,whichmademoisellehadpreparedamidstbitterlamentationsthatinthisdesolatecountryofEnglandnoharicotbeansweretobehad.Thencameadishofmeat—natureunknown,butsupposedtobemiscellaneous—singularlychoppedupwithcrumbsofbread,seasoneduniquelythoughnotunpleasantly,andbakedinamould—aqueerbutbynomeansunpalatabledish.Greens,oddlybruised,formedtheaccompanyingvegetableandapatéoffruit,conservedafterarecipedevisedbyMadameGérardMoore's"grand'mère,"andfromthetasteofwhichitappearedprobablethat"mélasse"hadbeensubstitutedforsugar,completedthedinner. CarolinehadnoobjectiontothisBelgiancookery—indeedsheratherlikeditforachangeanditwaswellshedidso,forhadsheevincedanydisrelishthereof,suchmanifestationwouldhaveinjuredherinmademoiselle'sgoodgracesforeverapositivecrimemighthavebeenmoreeasilypardonedthanasymptomofdistastefortheforeigncomestibles. SoonafterdinnerCarolinecoaxedhergoverness-cousinupstairstodress.Thisman?uvrerequiredmanagement.Tohavehintedthatthejupon,camisole,andcurl-paperswereodiousobjects,orindeedotherthanquitemeritoriouspoints,wouldhavebeenafelony.Anyprematureattempttourgetheirdisappearancewasthereforeunwise,andwouldbelikelytoissueintheperseveringwearofthemduringthewholeday.Carefullyavoidingrocksandquicksands,however,thepupil,onpretenceofrequiringachangeofscene,contrivedtogettheteacheraloftand,onceinthebedroom,shepersuadedherthatitwasnotworthwhilereturningthither,andthatshemightaswellmakehertoiletnowandwhilemademoiselledeliveredasolemnhomilyonherownsurpassingmeritindisregardingallfrivolitiesoffashion,Carolinedenudedherofthecamisole,investedherwithadecentgown,arrangedhercollar,hair,etc.,andmadeherquitepresentable.ButHortensewouldputthefinishingtouchesherself,andthesefinishingtouchesconsistedinathickhandkerchieftiedroundthethroat,andalarge,servant-likeblackapron,whichspoiledeverything.Onnoaccountwouldmademoisellehaveappearedinherownhousewithoutthethickhandkerchiefandthevoluminousapron.Thefirstwasapositivematterofmorality—itwasquiteimpropernottowearafichuthesecondwastheensignofagoodhousewife—sheappearedtothinkthatbymeansofitshesomehoweffectedalargesavinginherbrother'sincome.Shehad,withherownhands,madeandpresentedtoCarolinesimilarequipmentsandtheonlyseriousquarreltheyhadeverhad,andwhichstillleftasorenessintheeldercousin'ssoul,hadarisenfromtherefusaloftheyoungeronetoacceptofandprofitbytheseelegantpresents. "Iwearahighdressandacollar,"saidCaroline,"andIshouldfeelsuffocatedwithahandkerchiefinadditionandmyshortapronsdoquiteaswellasthatverylongone.Iwouldrathermakenochange." YetHortense,bydintofperseverance,wouldprobablyhavecompelledhertomakeachange,hadnotMr.Moorechancedtooverhearadisputeonthesubject,anddecidedthatCaroline'slittleapronswouldsuffice,andthat,inhisopinion,asshewasstillbutachild,shemightforthepresentdispensewiththefichu,especiallyashercurlswerelong,andalmosttouchedhershoulders. TherewasnoappealagainstRobert'sopinion,thereforehissisterwascompelledtoyieldbutshedisapprovedentirelyofthepiquantneatnessofCaroline'scostume,andtheladylikegraceofherappearance.Somethingmoresolidandhomelyshewouldhaveconsidered"beaucoupplusconvenable." Theafternoonwasdevotedtosewing.Mademoiselle,likemostBelgianladies,wasspeciallyskilfulwithherneedle.Shebynomeansthoughtitwasteoftimetodevoteunnumberedhourstofineembroidery,sight-destroyinglace-work,marvellousnettingandknitting,and,aboveall,tomostelaboratestocking-mending.Shewouldgiveadaytothemendingoftwoholesinastockinganytime,andthinkher"mission"noblyfulfilledwhenshehadaccomplishedit.ItwasanotherofCaroline'stroublestobecondemnedtolearnthisforeignstyleofdarning,whichwasdonestitchbystitch,soasexactlytoimitatethefabricofthestockingitself—awearifu'process,butconsideredbyHortenseGérard,andbyherancestressesbeforeherforlonggenerationsback,asoneofthefirst"dutiesofawoman."Sheherselfhadhadaneedle,cotton,andafearfullytornstockingputintoherhandwhilesheyetworeachild'scoifonherlittleblackheadher"hautsfaits"inthedarninglinehadbeenexhibitedtocompanyereshewassixyearsoldandwhenshefirstdiscoveredthatCarolinewasprofoundlyignorantofthismostessentialofattainments,shecouldhaveweptwithpityoverhermiserably-neglectedyouth. Notimedidsheloseinseekingupahopelesspairofhose,ofwhichtheheelswereentirelygone,andinsettingtheignorantEnglishgirltorepairthedeficiency.Thistaskhadbeencommencedtwoyearsago,andCarolinehadthestockingsinherwork-bagyet.Shedidafewrowseveryday,bywayofpenancefortheexpiationofhersins.TheywereagrievousburdentohershewouldmuchhavelikedtoputtheminthefireandonceMr.Moore,whohadobservedhersittingandsighingoverthem,hadproposedaprivateincremationinthecounting-housebuttothisproposalCarolineknewitwouldhavebeenimpolitictoaccede—theresultcouldonlybeafreshpairofhose,probablyinworsecondition.Sheadhered,therefore,totheillssheknew. Alltheafternoonthetwoladiessatandsewed,tilltheeyesandfingers,andeventhespiritsofoneofthem,wereweary.Theskysincedinnerhaddarkenedithadbeguntorainagain,topourfast.SecretfearsbegantostealonCarolinethatRobertwouldbepersuadedbyMr.SykesorMr.YorketoremainatWhinburytillitcleared,andofthatthereappearednopresentchance.Fiveo'clockstruck,andtimestoleonstillthecloudsstreamed.Asighingwindwhisperedintheroof-treesofthecottagedayseemedalreadyclosingtheparlourfireshedontheclearhearthaglowruddyasattwilight. "Itwillnotbefairtillthemoonrises,"pronouncedMademoiselleMoore,"consequentlyIfeelassuredthatmybrotherwillnotreturntillthen.IndeedIshouldbesorryifhedid.Wewillhavecoffee.Itwouldbevaintowaitforhim." "Iamtired.MayIleavemyworknow,cousin?" "Youmay,sinceitgrowstoodarktoseetodoitwell.FolditupputitcarefullyinyourbagthenstepintothekitchenanddesireSarahtobringinthego?ter,ortea,asyoucallit." "Butithasnotyetstrucksix.Hemaystillcome." "Hewillnot,Itellyou.Icancalculatehismovements.Iunderstandmybrother." Suspenseisirksome,disappointmentbitter.Alltheworldhas,sometimeorother,feltthat.Caroline,obedienttoorders,passedintothekitchen.Sarahwasmakingadressforherselfatthetable. "Youaretobringincoffee,"saidtheyoungladyinaspiritlesstoneandthenshele