CHAPTER VII. THE CURATES AT TEA.

resistingexcuses,explainingawaydifficulties,andatlastsucceededinpersuadingMissHarriettoallowherselftobeledtotheinstrument.Thenoutcamethepiecesofhisflute(healwayscarriedtheminhispocket,asunfailinglyashecarriedhishandkerchief).Theywerescrewedandarranged,MaloneandDonnemeanwhileherdingtogetherandsneeringathim,whichthelittleman,glancingoverhisshoulder,saw,butdidnotheedatall.Hewaspersuadedtheirsarcasmallarosefromenvy.Theycouldnotaccompanytheladiesashecouldhewasabouttoenjoyatriumphoverthem. Thetriumphbegan.Malone,muchchagrinedathearinghimpipeupinmostsuperiorstyle,determinedtoearndistinctiontoo,ifpossible,andallatonceassumingthecharacterofaswain(whichcharacterhehadendeavouredtoenactonceortwicebefore,butinwhichhehadnothithertometwiththesuccesshedoubtlessopinedhismeritsdeserved),approachedasofaonwhichMissHelstonewasseated,anddepositinghisgreatIrishframenearher,triedhishand(orrathertongue)atafinespeechortwo,accompaniedbygrinsthemostextraordinaryandincomprehensible.Inthecourseofhiseffortstorenderhimselfagreeable,hecontrivedtopossesshimselfofthetwolongsofacushionsandasquareonewithwhich,afterrollingthemaboutforsometimewithstrangegestures,hemanagedtoerectasortofbarrierbetweenhimselfandtheobjectofhisattentions.Caroline,quitewillingthattheyshouldbesundered,soondevisedanexcuseforsteppingovertotheoppositesideoftheroom,andtakingupapositionbesideMrs.Sykes,ofwhichgoodladysheentreatedsomeinstructioninanewstitchinornamentalknitting,afavourreadilygrantedandthusPeterAugustuswasthrownout. Verysullenlydidhiscountenancelowerwhenhesawhimselfabandoned—leftentirelytohisownresources,onalargesofa,withthechargeofthreesmallcushionsonhishands.Thefactwas,hefeltdisposedseriouslytocultivateacquaintancewithMissHelstone,becausehethought,incommonwithothers,thatherunclepossessedmoney,andconcludedthat,sincehehadnochildren,hewouldprobablyleaveittohisniece.GérardMoorewasbetterinstructedonthispoint:hehadseentheneatchurchthatoweditsorigintotherector'szealandcash,andmorethanonce,inhisinmostsoul,hadcursedanexpensivecapricewhichcrossedhiswishes. Theeveningseemedlongtoonepersoninthatroom.Carolineatintervalsdroppedherknittingonherlap,andgaveherselfuptoasortofbrain-lethargy—closinghereyesanddepressingherhead—causedbywhatseemedtohertheunmeaninghumaroundher,—theinharmonious,tastelessrattleofthepianokeys,thesqueakingandgaspingnotesoftheflute,thelaughterandmirthofheruncle,andHannah,andMary,shecouldnottellwhenceoriginating,forsheheardnothingcomicorgleefulintheirdiscourseandmorethanall,bytheinterminablegossipofMrs.Sykesmurmuredcloseatherear,gossipwhichrangthechangesonfoursubjects—herownhealthandthatofthevariousmembersofherfamilythemissionaryandJewbasketsandtheircontentsthelatemeetingatNunnely,andonewhichwasexpectedtocomeoffnextweekatWhinbury. Tiredatlengthtoexhaustion,sheembracedtheopportunityofMr.SweetingcominguptospeaktoMrs.Sykestoslipquietlyoutoftheapartment,andseekamoment'srespiteinsolitude.Sherepairedtothedining-room,wheretheclearbutnowlowremnantofafirestillburnedinthegrate.Theplacewasemptyandquiet,glassesanddecanterswereclearedfromthetable,thechairswereputbackintheirplaces,allwasorderly.Carolinesankintoheruncle'slargeeasy-chair,halfshuthereyes,andrestedherself—restedatleastherlimbs,hersenses,herhearing,hervision—wearywithlisteningtonothing,andgazingonvacancy.Astohermind,thatflewdirectlytotheHollow.Itstoodonthethresholdoftheparlourthere,thenitpassedtothecounting-house,andwonderedwhichspotwasblessedbythepresenceofRobert.ItsohappenedthatneitherlocalityhadthathonourforRobertwashalfamileawayfromboth,andmuchnearertoCarolinethanherdeadenedspiritsuspected.Hewasatthismomentcrossingthechurchyard,approachingtherectorygarden-gate—not,however,comingtoseehiscousin,butintentsolelyoncommunicatingabriefpieceofintelligencetotherector. Yes,Carolineyouhearthewireofthebellvibrateitringsagainforthefifthtimethisafternoon.Youstart,andyouarecertainnowthatthismustbeheofwhomyoudream.Whyyouaresocertainyoucannotexplaintoyourself,butyouknowit.Youleanforward,listeningeagerlyasFannyopensthedoor.Right!Thatisthevoice—low,withtheslightforeignaccent,butsosweet,asyoufancy.Youhalfrise."FannywilltellhimMr.Helstoneiswithcompany,andthenhewillgoaway."Oh!shecannotlethimgo.Inspiteofherself,inspiteofherreason,shewalkshalfacrosstheroomshestandsreadytodartoutincasethestepshouldretreatbutheentersthepassage."Sinceyourmasterisengaged,"hesays,"justshowmeintothedining-room.Bringmepenandink.Iwillwriteashortnoteandleaveitforhim." Now,havingcaughtthesewords,andhearinghimadvance,Caroline,iftherewasadoorwithinthedining-room,wouldglidethroughitanddisappear.Shefeelscaught,hemmedinshedreadsherunexpectedpresencemayannoyhim.Asecondsinceshewouldhaveflowntohimthatsecondpast,shewouldfleefromhim.Shecannot.Thereisnowayofescape.Thedining-roomhasbutonedoor,throughwhichnowentershercousin.Thelookoftroubledsurprisesheexpectedtoseeinhisfacehasappearedthere,hasshockedher,andisgone.Shehasstammeredasortofapology:— "Ionlyleftthedrawing-roomaminuteforalittlequiet." Therewassomethingsodiffidentanddowncastintheairandtonewithwhichshesaidthis,anyonemightperceivethatsomesaddeningchangehadlatelypassedoverherprospects,andthatthefacultyofcheerfulself-possessionhadlefther.Mr.Moore,probably,rememberedhowshehadformerlybeenaccustomedtomeethimwithgentleardourandhopefulconfidence.Hemusthaveseenhowthecheckofthismorninghadoperated.Herewasanopportunityforcarryingouthisnewsystemwitheffect,ifhechosetoimproveit.Perhapshefounditeasiertopractisethatsysteminbroaddaylight,inhismill-yard,amidstbusyoccupations,thaninaquietparlour,disengaged,atthehourofeventide.Fannylitthecandles,whichbeforehadstoodunlitonthetable,broughtwritingmaterials,andlefttheroom.Carolinewasabouttofollowher.Moore,toactconsistently,shouldhavelethergowhereashestoodinthedoorway,and,holdingouthishand,gentlykeptherback.Hedidnotaskhertostay,buthewouldnotlethergo. "ShallItellmyuncleyouarehere?"askedshe,stillinthesamesubduedvoice. "NoIcansaytoyouallIhadtosaytohim.Youwillbemymessenger?" "Yes,Robert." "ThenyoumayjustinformhimthatIhavegotacluetotheidentityofone,atleast,ofthemenwhobrokemyframesthathebelongstothesamegangwhoattackedSykesandPearson'sdressing-shop,andthatIhopetohavehimincustodyto-morrow.Youcanrememberthat?" "Ohyes!"Thesetwomonosyllableswereutteredinasaddertonethaneverandasshesaidthemsheshookherheadslightlyandsighed."Willyouprosecutehim?" "Doubtless." "No,Robert." "Andwhyno,Caroline?" "Becauseitwillsetalltheneighbourhoodagainstyoumorethanever." "ThatisnoreasonwhyIshouldnotdomyduty,anddefendmyproperty.Thisfellowisagreatscoundrel,andoughttobeincapacitatedfromperpetratingfurthermischief." "Buthisaccompliceswilltakerevengeonyou.Youdonotknowhowthepeopleofthiscountrybearmalice.Itistheboastofsomeofthemthattheycankeepastoneintheirpocketsevenyears,turnitattheendofthattime,keepitsevenyearslonger,andhurlitandhittheirmark'atlast.'" Moorelaughed. "Amostpithyvaunt,"saidhe—"onethatredoundsvastlytothecreditofyourdearYorkshirefriends.Butdon'tfearforme,Lina.Iamonmyguardagainsttheselamb-likecompatriotsofyours.Don'tmakeyourselfuneasyaboutme." "HowcanIhelpit?Youaremycousin.Ifanythinghappened——"Shestopped. "Nothingwillhappen,Lina.Tospeakinyourownlanguage,thereisaProvidenceaboveall—istherenot?" "Yes,dearRobert.MayHeguardyou!" "Andifprayershaveefficacy,yourswillbenefitme.Youprayformesometimes?" "Notsometimes,Robert.You,andLouis,andHortensearealwaysremembered." "SoIhaveoftenimagined.Ithasoccurredtomewhen,wearyandvexed,Ihavemyselfgonetobedlikeaheathen,thatanotherhadaskedforgivenessformyday,andsafetyformynight.Idon'tsupposesuchvicarialpietywillavailmuch,butthepetitionscomeoutofasincerebreast,frominnocentlips.TheyshouldbeacceptableasAbel'sofferinganddoubtlesswouldbe,iftheobjectdeservedthem." "Annihilatethatdoubt.Itisgroundless." "Whenamanhasbeenbroughtuponlytomakemoney,andlivestomakeit,andfornothingelse,andscarcelybreathesanyotherairthanthatofmillsandmarkets,itseemsoddtoutterhisnameinaprayer,ortomixhisideawithanythingdivineandverystrangeitseemsthatagood,pureheartshouldtakehiminandharbourhim,asifhehadanyclaimtothatsortofnest.IfIcouldguidethatbenignantheart,IbelieveIshouldcounselittoexcludeonewhodoesnotprofesstohaveanyhigheraiminlifethanthatofpatchinguphisbrokenfortune,andwipingcleanfromhisbourgeoisscutcheonthefoulstainofbankruptcy." Thehint,thoughconveyedthustenderlyandmodestly(asCarolinethought),wasfeltkeenlyandcomprehendedclearly. "Indeed,Ionlythink—orIwillonlythink—ofyouasmycousin,"wasthequickanswer."IambeginningtounderstandthingsbetterthanIdid,Robert,whenyoufirstcametoEngland—betterthanIdidaweek,adayago.Iknowitisyourdutytotrytogeton,andthatitwon'tdoforyoutoberomanticbutinfutureyoumustnotmisunderstandmeifIseemfriendly.Youmisunderstoodmethismorning,didyounot?" "Whatmadeyouthinkso?" "Yourlook—yourmanner." "Butlookatmenow——" "Oh!youaredifferentnow.AtpresentIdarespeaktoyou." "YetIamthesame,exceptthatIhaveleftthetradesmanbehindmeintheHollow.Yourkinsmanalonestandsbeforeyou." "MycousinRobert—notMr.Moore." "NotabitofMr.Moore.Caroline——" Herethecompanywasheardrisingintheotherroom.Thedoorwasopenedthepony-carriagewasorderedshawlsandbonnetsweredemandedMr.Helstonecalledforhisniece. "Imustgo,Robert." "Yes,youmustgo,ortheywillcomeinandfindushereandI,ratherthanmeetallthathostinthepassage,willtakemydeparturethroughthewindow.Luckilyitopenslikeadoor.Oneminuteonly—putdownthecandleaninstant—good-night.Ikissyoubecausewearecousins,and,beingcousins,one—two—threekissesareallowable.Caroline,good-night."