CHAPTER IX. BRIARMAINS.

thanthatofthepiquantlittleJessy.Jessy,however,wasdestinedtopossess,alongwithsprightlyintelligenceandvivaciousfeeling,thegiftoffascination,thepowertocharmwhen,where,andwhomshewould.Rosewastohaveafine,generoussoul,anobleintellectprofoundlycultivated,aheartastrueassteel,butthemannertoattractwasnottobehers. "Now,Rose,tellmethenameofthisladywhodeniedthatIwassentimental,"urgedMr.Moore. Rosehadnoideaoftantalization,orshewouldhaveheldhimawhileindoubt.Sheansweredbriefly,"Ican't.Idon'tknowhername." "Describehertome.Whatwasshelike?Wheredidyouseeher?" "WhenJessyandIwenttospendthedayatWhinburywithKateandSusanPearson,whowerejustcomehomefromschool,therewasapartyatMrs.Pearson's,andsomegrown-upladiesweresittinginacornerofthedrawing-roomtalkingaboutyou." "Didyouknownoneofthem?" "Hannah,andHarriet,andDora,andMarySykes." "Good.Weretheyabusingme,Rosy?" "Someofthemwere.Theycalledyouamisanthrope.Iremembertheword.IlookedforitinthedictionarywhenIcamehome.Itmeansaman-hater." "Whatbesides?" "HannahSykessaidyouwereasolemnpuppy." "Better!"criedMr.Yorke,laughing."Oh,excellent!Hannah!that'stheonewiththeredhair—afinegirl,buthalf-witted." "Shehaswitenoughforme,itappears,"saidMoore."Asolemnpuppy,indeed!Well,Rose,goon." "MissPearsonsaidshebelievedtherewasagooddealofaffectationaboutyou,andthatwithyourdarkhairandpalefaceyoulookedtoherlikesomesortofasentimentalnoodle." AgainMr.Yorkelaughed.Mrs.Yorkeevenjoinedinthistime."Youseeinwhatesteemyouareheldbehindyourback,"saidshe"yetIbelievethatMissPearsonwouldliketocatchyou.Shesethercapatyouwhenyoufirstcameintothecountry,oldassheis." "Andwhocontradictedher,Rosy?"inquiredMoore. "AladywhomIdon'tknow,becauseshenevervisitshere,thoughIseehereverySundayatchurch.Shesitsinthepewnearthepulpit.Igenerallylookather,insteadoflookingatmyprayer-book,forsheislikeapictureinourdining-room,thatwomanwiththedoveinherhand—atleastshehaseyeslikeit,andanosetoo,astraightnose,thatmakesallherfacelook,somehow,whatIcallclear." "Andyoudon'tknowher!"exclaimedJessy,inatoneofexceedingsurprise."That'ssolikeRose.Mr.Moore,Ioftenwonderinwhatsortofaworldmysisterlives.Iamsureshedoesnotliveallhertimeinthis.Oneiscontinuallyfindingoutthatsheisquiteignorantofsomelittlematterwhicheverybodyelseknows.TothinkofhergoingsolemnlytochurcheverySunday,andlookingallservice-timeatoneparticularperson,andneversomuchasaskingthatperson'sname.ShemeansCarolineHelstone,therector'sniece.Irememberallaboutit.MissHelstonewasquiteangrywithAnnePearson.Shesaid,'RobertMooreisneitheraffectednorsentimentalyoumistakehischaracterutterly,orrathernotoneofyouhereknowsanythingaboutit.'Now,shallItellyouwhatsheislike?Icantellwhatpeoplearelike,andhowtheyaredressed,betterthanRosecan." "Letushear." "Sheisnicesheisfairshehasaprettywhiteslenderthroatshehaslongcurls,notstiffones—theyhanglooseandsoft,theircolourisbrownbutnotdarkshespeaksquietly,withacleartoneshenevermakesabustleinmovingsheoftenwearsagraysilkdresssheisneatallover—hergowns,andhershoes,andherglovesalwaysfither.SheiswhatIcallalady,andwhenIamastallassheis,Imeantobelikeher.ShallIsuityouifIam?Willyoureallymarryme?" MoorestrokedJessy'shair.Foraminuteheseemedasifhewoulddrawhernearertohim,butinsteadheputheralittlefartheroff. "Oh!youwon'thaveme?Youpushmeaway." "Why,Jessy,youcarenothingaboutme.YounevercometoseemenowattheHollow." "Becauseyoudon'taskme." HereuponMr.Mooregaveboththelittlegirlsaninvitationtopayhimavisitnextday,promisingthat,ashewasgoingtoStilbro'inthemorning,hewouldbuythemeachapresent,ofwhatnaturehewouldnotthendeclare,buttheymustcomeandsee.Jessywasabouttoreply,whenoneoftheboysunexpectedlybrokein,— "IknowthatMissHelstoneyouhaveallbeenpalaveringabout.She'sanuglygirl.Ihateher.Ihateallwomenites.Iwonderwhattheyweremadefor." "Martin!"saidhisfather,forMartinitwas.Theladonlyansweredbyturninghiscynicalyoungface,half-arch,half-truculent,towardsthepaternalchair."Martin,mylad,thou'rtaswaggeringwhelpnowthouwiltsomedaybeanoutrageouspuppy.Butsticktothosesentimentsofthine.See,I'llwritedownthewordsnowi'mypocket-book."(Theseniortookoutamorocco-coveredbook,anddeliberatelywrotetherein.)"Tenyearshence,Martin,ifthouandIbebothaliveatthatday,I'llremindtheeofthatspeech." "I'llsaythesamethen.Imeanalwaystohatewomen.They'resuchdollstheydonothingbutdressthemselvesfinely,andgoswimmingabouttobeadmired.I'llnevermarry.I'llbeabachelor." "Sticktoit!sticktoit!—Hesther"(addressinghiswife),"IwaslikehimwhenIwashisage—aregularmisogamistand,behold!bythetimeIwasthree-and-twenty—beingthenatouristinFranceandItaly,andtheLordknowswhere—IcurledmyhaireverynightbeforeIwenttobed,andworearingi'myear,andwouldhavewornonei'mynoseifithadbeenthefashion,andallthatImightmakemyselfpleasingandcharmingtotheladies.Martinwilldothelike." "WillI?Never!I'vemoresense.Whataguyyouwere,father!Astodressing,Imakethisvow:I'llneverdressmorefinelythanasyouseemeatpresent.—Mr.Moore,I'mcladinblueclothfromtoptotoe,andtheylaughatme,andcallmesailoratthegrammar-school.Ilaughlouderatthem,andsaytheyareallmagpiesandparrots,withtheircoatsonecolour,andtheirwaistcoatsanother,andtheirtrousersathird.I'llalwayswearbluecloth,andnothingbutbluecloth.Itisbeneathahumanbeing'sdignitytodresshimselfinparti-colouredgarments." "Tenyearshence,Martin,notailor'sshopwillhavechoiceofcoloursvariedenoughforthyexactingtastenoperfumer'sstoresessencesexquisiteenoughforthyfastidioussenses." Martinlookeddisdain,butvouchsafednofurtherreply.MeantimeMark,whoforsomeminuteshadbeenrummagingamongstapileofbooksonaside-table,tooktheword.Hespokeinapeculiarlyslow,quietvoice,andwithanexpressionofstillironyinhisfacenoteasytodescribe. "Mr.Moore,"saidhe,"youthinkperhapsitwasacomplimentonMissCarolineHelstone'sparttosayyouwerenotsentimental.Ithoughtyouappearedconfusedwhenmysisterstoldyouthewords,asifyoufeltflattered.Youturnedred,justlikeacertainvainlittleladatourschool,whoalwaysthinkspropertoblushwhenhegetsariseintheclass.Foryourbenefit,Mr.Moore,I'vebeenlookinguptheword'sentimental'inthedictionary,andIfindittomean'tincturedwithsentiment.'Onexaminingfurther,'sentiment'isexplainedtobethought,idea,notion.Asentimentalman,then,isonewhohasthoughts,ideas,notionsanunsentimentalmanisonedestituteofthought,idea,ornotion." AndMarkstopped.Hedidnotsmile,hedidnotlookroundforadmiration.Hehadsaidhissay,andwassilent. "Mafoi!monami,"observedMr.MooretoYorke,"cesontvraimentdesenfantsterribles,quelesv?tres!" Rose,whohadbeenlisteningattentivelytoMark'sspeech,repliedtohim,"Therearedifferentkindsofthoughts,ideas,andnotions,"saidshe,"goodandbad.Sentimentalmustrefertothebad,orMissHelstonemusthavetakenitinthatsense,forshewasnotblamingMr.Mooreshewasdefendinghim." "That'smykindlittleadvocate!"saidMoore,takingRose'shand. "Shewasdefendinghim,"repeatedRose,"asIshouldhavedonehadIbeeninherplace,fortheotherladiesseemedtospeakspitefully." "Ladiesalwaysdospeakspitefully,"observedMartin."Itisthenatureofwomenitestobespiteful." Matthewnow,forthefirsttime,openedhislips."WhatafoolMartinis,tobealwaysgabblingaboutwhathedoesnotunderstand!" "Itismyprivilege,asafreeman,togabbleonwhateversubjectIlike,"respondedMartin. "Youuseit,orratherabuseit,tosuchanextent,"rejoinedtheelderbrother,"thatyouproveyououghttohavebeenaslave." "Aslave!aslave!ThattoaYorke,andfromaYorke!Thisfellow,"headded,standingupatthetable,andpointingacrossittoMatthew—"thisfellowforgets,whateverycottierinBriarfieldknows,thatallbornofourhousehavethatarchedinstepunderwhichwatercanflow—proofthattherehasnotbeenaslaveofthebloodforthreehundredyears." "Mountebank!"saidMatthew. "Lads,besilent!"exclaimedMr.Yorke.—"Martin,youareamischief-maker.Therewouldhavebeennodisturbancebutfory