CHAPTER VI. CORIOLANUS.

hetherseriousorsprightly,graveorgay,wasasofsomethinguntaught,unstudied,intuitive,fitful—whenoncegone,nomoretobereproducedasithadbeenthantheglancingrayofthemeteor,thanthetintsofthedew-gem,thanthecolourorformofthesunsetcloud,thanthefleetingandglitteringripplevaryingtheflowofarivulet. Coriolanusinglory,Coriolanusindisaster,Coriolanusbanished,followedlikegiantshadesoneaftertheother.BeforethevisionofthebanishedmanMoore'sspiritseemedtopause.HestoodonthehearthofAufidius'shall,facingtheimageofgreatnessfallen,butgreaterthaneverinthatlowestate.Hesaw"thegrimappearance,"thedarkface"bearingcommandinit,""thenoblevesselwithitstackletorn."WiththerevengeofCaiusMarcius,MooreperfectlysympathizedhewasnotscandalizedbyitandagainCarolinewhispered,"ThereIseeanotherglimpseofbrotherhoodinerror." ThemarchonRome,themother'ssupplication,thelongresistance,thefinalyieldingofbadpassionstogood,whichevermustbethecaseinanatureworthytheepithetofnoble,therageofAufidiusatwhatheconsideredhisally'sweakness,thedeathofCoriolanus,thefinalsorrowofhisgreatenemy—allscenesmadeofcondensedtruthandstrength—cameoninsuccessionandcarriedwiththemintheirdeep,fastflowtheheartandmindofreaderandlistener. "Now,haveyoufeltShakespeare?"askedCaroline,sometenminutesafterhercousinhadclosedthebook. "Ithinkso." "AndhaveyoufeltanythinginCoriolanuslikeyou?" "PerhapsIhave." "Washenotfaultyaswellasgreat?" Moorenodded. "Andwhatwashisfault?Whatmadehimhatedbythecitizens?Whatcausedhimtobebanishedbyhiscountrymen?" "Whatdoyouthinkitwas?" "Iaskagain— 'Whetherwasitpride, Whichoutofdailyfortuneevertaints Thehappyman?whetherdefectofjudgment, Tofailinthedisposingofthosechances Whichhewaslordof?orwhethernature, Nottobeotherthanonething,notmoving Fromthecasquetothecushion,butcommandingpeace Evenwiththesameausterityandgarb Ashecontrolledthewar?'" "Well,answeryourself,Sphinx." "Itwasaspiceofallandyoumustnotbeproudtoyourworkpeopleyoumustnotneglectchancesofsoothingthemandyoumustnotbeofaninflexiblenature,utteringarequestasausterelyasifitwereacommand." "Thatisthemoralyoutacktotheplay.Whatputssuchnotionsintoyourhead?" "Awishforyourgood,acareforyoursafety,dearRobert,andafear,causedbymanythingswhichIhaveheardlately,thatyouwillcometoharm." "Whotellsyouthesethings?" "Ihearmyuncletalkaboutyou.Hepraisesyourhardspirit,yourdeterminedcastofmind,yourscornoflowenemies,yourresolutionnot'totruckletothemob,'ashesays." "Andwouldyouhavemetruckletothem?" "No,notfortheworld.IneverwishyoutoloweryourselfbutsomehowIcannothelpthinkingitunjusttoincludeallpoorworking-peopleunderthegeneralandinsultingnameof'themob,'andcontinuallytothinkofthemandtreatthemhaughtily." "Youarealittledemocrat,Caroline.Ifyouruncleknew,whatwouldhesay?" "Irarelytalktomyuncle,asyouknow,andneveraboutsuchthings.Hethinkseverythingbutsewingandcookingabovewomen'scomprehension,andoutoftheirline." "Anddoyoufancyyoucomprehendthesubjectsonwhichyouadviseme?" "Asfarastheyconcernyou,Icomprehendthem.Iknowitwouldbebetterforyoutobelovedbyyourworkpeoplethantobehatedbythem,andIamsurethatkindnessismorelikelytowintheirregardthanpride.IfyouwereproudandcoldtomeandHortense,shouldweloveyou?Whenyouarecoldtome,asyouaresometimes,canIventuretobeaffectionateinreturn?" "Now,Lina,I'vehadmylessonbothinlanguagesandethics,withatouchonpoliticsitisyourturn.Hortensetellsmeyouweremuchtakenbyalittlepieceofpoetryyoulearnedtheotherday,apiecebypoorAndréChénier—'LaJeuneCaptive.'Doyourememberitstill?" "Ithinkso." "Repeatit,then.TakeyourtimeandmindyouraccentespeciallyletushavenoEnglishu's." Caroline,beginninginalow,rathertremulousvoice,butgainingcourageassheproceeded,repeatedthesweetversesofChénier.Thelastthreestanzassherehearsedwell. "Monbeauvoyageencoreestsiloindesafin! Jepars,etdesormeauxquibordentlechemin J'aipassélepremiersàpeine. Aubanquetdelavieàpeinecommencé, Uninstantseulementmeslèvresontpressé Lacoupeenmesmainsencorepleine. "Jenesuisqu'auprintemps—jeveuxvoirlamoisson Etcommelesoleil,desaisonensaison, Jeveuxachevermonannée, Brillantesurmatige,etl'honneurdujardin Jen'aivuluireencorequelesfeuxdumatin, Jeveuxachevermajournée!" Moorelistenedatfirstwithhiseyescastdown,butsoonhefurtivelyraisedthem.LeaningbackinhischairhecouldwatchCarolinewithoutherperceivingwherehisgazewasfixed.Hercheekhadacolour,hereyesalight,hercountenanceanexpressionthiseveningwhichwouldhavemadeevenplainfeaturesstrikingbuttherewasnotthegrievousdefectofplainnesstopardoninhercase.Thesunshinewasnotshedonroughbarrennessitfellonsoftbloom.Eachlineamentwasturnedwithgracethewholeaspectwaspleasing.Atthepresentmoment—animated,interested,touched—shemightbecalledbeautiful.Suchafacewascalculatedtoawakennotonlythecalmsentimentofesteem,thedistantoneofadmiration,butsomefeelingmoretender,genial,intimate—friendship,perhaps,affection,interest.Whenshehadfinished,sheturnedtoMoore,andmethiseye. "Isthatprettywellrepeated?"sheinquired,smilinglikeanyhappy,docilechild. "Ireallydon'tknow." "Whydon'tyouknow?Haveyounotlistened?" "Yes—andlooked.Youarefondofpoetry,Lina?" "WhenImeetwithrealpoetry,IcannotresttillIhavelearneditbyheart,andsomadeitpartlymine." Mr.Moorenowsatsilentforseveralminutes.Itstrucknineo'clock.Sarahentered,andsaidthatMr.Helstone'sservantwascomeforMissCaroline. "Thentheeveningisgonealready,"sheobserved,"anditwillbelong,Isuppose,beforeIpassanotherhere." Hortensehadbeenforsometimenoddingoverherknittingfallenintoadozenow,shemadenoresponsetotheremark. "Youwouldhavenoobjectiontocomehereoftenerofanevening?"inquiredRobert,ashetookherfoldedmantlefromtheside-table,whereitstilllay,andcarefullywrappeditroundher. "IliketocomeherebutIhavenodesiretobeintrusive.Iamnothintingtobeaskedyoumustunderstandthat." "Oh!Iunderstandthee,child.Yousometimeslecturemeforwishingtoberich,LinabutifIwererich,youshouldliveherealways—atanyrate,youshouldlivewithmewherevermyhabitationmightbe." "Thatwouldbepleasantandifyouwerepoor—eversopoor—itwouldstillbepleasant.Good-night,Robert." "Ipromisedtowalkwithyouuptotherectory." "IknowyoudidbutIthoughtyouhadforgotten,andIhardlyknewhowtoremindyou,thoughIwishedtodoit.Butwouldyouliketogo?Itisacoldnight,andasFannyiscome,thereisnonecessity——" "Hereisyourmuffdon'twakeHortense—come." Thehalfmiletotherectorywassoontraversed.Theypartedinthegardenwithoutkiss,scarcelywithapressureofhandsyetRobertsenthiscousininexcitedandjoyouslytroubled.Hehadbeensingularlykindtoherthatday—notinphrase,compliment,profession,butinmanner,inlook,andinsoftandfriendlytones. Forhimself,hecamehomegrave,almostmorose.Ashestoodleaningonhisownyard-gate,musinginthewaterymoonlightallalone,thehushed,darkmillbeforehim,thehill-environedhollowround,heexclaimed,abruptly,— "Thiswon'tdo!There'sweakness—there'sdownrightruininallthis.However,"headded,droppinghisvoice,"thefrenzyisquitetemporary.IknowitverywellIhavehaditbefore.Itwillbegoneto-morrow."