CHAPTER IX. BRIARMAINS.

throughallitsillusions,halfbelieveinthem,whollyenjoythem,thenoutlivethem.Thatboyisnothandsome—notsohandsomeaseitherofhisbrothers.Heisplainthereisahuskuponhim,adryshell,andhewillwearittillheisneartwenty,thenhewillputitoff.Aboutthatperiodhewillmakehimselfhandsome.Hewillwearuncouthmannerstillthatage,perhapshomelygarmentsbutthechrysaliswillretainthepoweroftransfiguringitselfintothebutterfly,andsuchtransfigurationwill,indueseason,takeplace.Foraspacehewillbevain,probablyadownrightpuppy,eagerforpleasureanddesirousofadmiration,athirst,too,forknowledge.Hewillwantallthattheworldcangivehim,bothofenjoymentandlorehewill,perhaps,takedeepdraughtsateachfount.Thatthirstsatisfied,whatnext?Iknownot.Martinmightbearemarkableman.Whetherhewillornot,theseerispowerlesstopredict:onthatsubjecttherehasbeennoopenvision. TakeMr.Yorke'sfamilyintheaggregate:thereisasmuchmentalpowerinthosesixyoungheads,asmuchoriginality,asmuchactivityandvigourofbrain,as—dividedamongsthalfadozencommonplacebroods—wouldgivetoeachrathermorethananaverageamountofsenseandcapacity.Mr.Yorkeknowsthis,andisproudofhisrace.Yorkshirehassuchfamilieshereandthereamongstherhillsandwolds—peculiar,racy,vigorousofgoodbloodandstrongbrainturbulentsomewhatintheprideoftheirstrength,andintractableintheforceoftheirnativepowerswantingpolish,wantingconsideration,wantingdocility,butsound,spirited,andtrue-bredastheeagleontheclifforthesteedinthesteppe. Alowtapisheardattheparlourdoortheboyshavebeenmakingsuchanoiseovertheirgame,andlittleJessy,besides,hasbeensingingsosweetaScotchsongtoherfather—whodelightsinScotchandItaliansongs,andhastaughthismusicallittledaughtersomeofthebest—thattheringattheouterdoorwasnotobserved. "Comein,"saysMrs.Yorke,inthatconscientiouslyconstrainedandsolemnizedvoiceofhers,whichevermodulatesitselftoafunerealdrearinessoftone,thoughthesubjectitisexerciseduponbebuttogiveordersforthemakingofapuddinginthekitchen,tobidtheboyshanguptheircapsinthehall,ortocallthegirlstotheirsewing—"comein!"AndincameRobertMoore. Moore'shabitualgravity,aswellashisabstemiousness(forthecaseofspiritdecantersisneverorderedupwhenhepaysaneveningvisit),hassofarrecommendedhimtoMrs.Yorkethatshehasnotyetmadehimthesubjectofprivateanimadversionswithherhusbandshehasnotyetfoundoutthatheishamperedbyasecretintriguewhichpreventshimfrommarrying,orthatheisawolfinsheep'sclothing—discoverieswhichshemadeatanearlydateaftermarriageconcerningmostofherhusband'sbachelorfriends,andexcludedthemfromherboardaccordinglywhichpartofherconduct,indeed,mightbesaidtohaveitsjustandsensibleaswellasitsharshside. "Well,isityou?"shesaystoMr.Moore,ashecomesuptoherandgiveshishand."Whatareyourovingaboutatthistimeofnightfor?Youshouldbeathome." "Canasinglemanbesaidtohaveahome,madam?"heasks. "Pooh!"saysMrs.Yorke,whodespisesconventionalsmoothnessquiteasmuchasherhusbanddoes,andpractisesitaslittle,andwhoseplainspeakingonalloccasionsiscarriedtoapointcalculated,sometimes,toawakenadmiration,butofteneralarm—"pooh!youneednottalknonsensetomeasinglemancanhaveahomeifhelikes.Pray,doesnotyoursistermakeahomeforyou?" "Notshe,"joinedinMr.Yorke."Hortenseisanhonestlass.ButwhenIwasRobert'sageIhadfiveorsixsisters,allasdecentandproperassheisbutyousee,Hesther,forallthatitdidnothindermefromlookingoutforawife." "Andsorelyhehasrepentedmarryingme,"addedMrs.Yorke,wholikedoccasionallytocrackadryjestagainstmatrimony,eventhoughitshouldbeatherownexpense."Hehasrepenteditinsackclothandashes,RobertMoore,asyoumaywellbelievewhenyouseehispunishment"(hereshepointedtoherchildren)."Whowouldburdenthemselveswithsuchasetofgreat,roughladsasthose,iftheycouldhelpit?Itisnotonlybringingthemintotheworld,thoughthatisbadenough,buttheyarealltofeed,toclothe,torear,tosettleinlife.Youngsir,whenyoufeeltemptedtomarry,thinkofourfoursonsandtwodaughters,andlooktwicebeforeyouleap." "Iamnottemptednow,atanyrate.Ithinkthesearenottimesformarryingorgivinginmarriage." AlugubrioussentimentofthissortwassuretoobtainMrs.Yorke'sapprobation.Shenoddedandgroanedacquiescencebutinaminuteshesaid,"ImakelittleaccountofthewisdomofaSolomonofyourageitwillbeupsetbythefirstfancythatcrossesyou.Meantime,sitdown,sir.Youcantalk,Isuppose,aswellsittingasstanding?" Thiswasherwayofinvitingherguesttotakeachair.HehadnosoonerobeyedherthanlittleJessyjumpedfromherfather'skneeandranintoMr.Moore'sarms,whichwereverypromptlyheldouttoreceiveher. "Youtalkofmarryinghim,"saidshetohermother,quiteindignantly,asshewasliftedlightlytohisknee,"andheismarriednow,orasgood.HepromisedthatIshouldbehiswifelastsummer,thefirsttimehesawmeinmynewwhitefrockandbluesash.Didn'the,father?"(Thesechildrenwerenotaccustomedtosaypapaandmammatheirmotherwouldallownosuch"namby-pamby.") "Ay,mylittlelassie,hepromisedI'llbearwitness.Butmakehimsayitoveragainnow,Jessy.Suchasheareonlyfalseloons." "Heisnotfalse.Heistoobonnytobefalse,"saidJessy,lookinguptohertallsweetheartwiththefullestconfidenceinhisfaith. "Bonny!"criedMr.Yorke."That'sthereasonthatheshouldbe,andproofthatheis,ascoundrel." "Buthelookstoosorrowfultobefalse,"hereinterposedaquietvoicefrombehindthefather'schair."Ifhewasalwayslaughing,Ishouldthinkheforgotpromisessoon,butMr.Mooreneverlaughs." "Yoursentimentalbuckisthegreatestcheatofall,Rose,"remarkedMr.Yorke. "He'snotsentimental,"saidRose. Mr.Mooreturnedtoherwithalittlesurprise,smilingatthesametime. "HowdoyouknowIamnotsentimental,Rose?" "BecauseIheardaladysayyouwerenot." "Voilà,quidevientintéressant!"exclaimedMr.Yorke,hitchinghischairnearerthefire."Alady!Thathasquitearomantictwang.Wemustguesswhoitis.—Rosy,whisperthenamelowtoyourfather.Don'tlethimhear." "Rose,don'tbetooforwardtotalk,"hereinterruptedMrs.Yorke,inherusualkill-joyfashion,"norJessyeither.Itbecomesallchildren,especiallygirls,tobesilentinthepresenceoftheirelders." "Whyhavewetongues,then?"askedJessypertlywhileRoseonlylookedathermotherwithanexpressionthatseemedtosaysheshouldtakethatmaximinandthinkitoveratherleisure.Aftertwominutes'gravedeliberation,sheasked,"Andwhyespeciallygirls,mother?" "Firstly,becauseIsaysoandsecondly,becausediscretionandreserveareagirl'sbestwisdom." "Mydearmadam,"observedMoore,"whatyousayisexcellent—itremindsme,indeed,ofmydearsister'sobservationsbutreallyitisnotapplicabletotheselittleones.LetRoseandJessytalktomefreely,ormychiefpleasureincominghereisgone.Iliketheirprattleitdoesmegood." "Doesitnot?"askedJessy."Moregoodthaniftheroughladscameroundyou.—Youcallthemrough,mother,yourself." "Yes,mignonne,athousandtimesmoregood.Ihaveroughladsenoughaboutmealldaylong,poulet." "Thereareplentyofpeople,"continuedshe,"whotakenoticeoftheboys.Allmyunclesandauntsseemtothinktheirnephewsbetterthantheirnieces,andwhengentlemencomeheretodine,itisalwaysMatthew,andMark,andMartinthataretalkedto,andneverRoseandme.Mr.Mooreisourfriend,andwe'llkeephim.—Butmind,Rose,he'snotsomuchyourfriendasheismine.Heismyparticularacquaintancerememberthat!"Andshehelduphersmallhandwithanadmonitorygesture. Rosewasquiteaccustomedtobeadmonishedbythatsmallhand.HerwilldailybentitselftothatoftheimpetuouslittleJessy.Shewasguided,overruledbyJessyinathousandthings.OnalloccasionsofshowandpleasureJessytookthelead,andRosefellquietlyintothebackgroundwhereas,whenthedisagreeablesoflife—itsworkandprivations—wereinquestion,Roseinstinctivelytookuponher,inadditiontoherownshare,whatshecouldofhersister's.Jessyhadalreadysettleditinhermindthatshe,whenshewasoldenough,wastobemarriedRose,shedecided,mustbeanoldmaid,tolivewithher,lookafterherchildren,keepherhouse.Thisstateofthingsisnotuncommonbetweentwosisters,whereoneisplainandtheotherprettybutinthiscase,iftherewasadifferenceinexternalappearance,Rosehadtheadvantage:herfacewasmoreregular-featured