CHAPTER IX. BRIARMAINS.

ou." "Indeed!Isthatcorrect?DidIbegin,ordidMatthew?HadIspokentohimwhenheaccusedmeofgabblinglikeafool?" "Apresumptuousfool!"repeatedMatthew. HereMrs.Yorkecommencedrockingherself—ratheraportentousmovementwithher,asitwasoccasionallyfollowed,especiallywhenMatthewwasworstedinaconflict,byafitofhysterics. "Idon'tseewhyIshouldbearinsolencefromMatthewYorke,orwhatrighthehastousebadlanguagetome,"observedMartin. "Hehasnoright,myladbutforgiveyourbrotheruntilseventy-and-seventimes,"saidMr.Yorkesoothingly. "Alwaysalike,andtheoryandpracticealwaysadverse!"murmuredMartinasheturnedtoleavetheroom. "Whereartthougoing,myson?"askedthefather. "SomewherewhereIshallbesafefrominsult,ifinthishouseIcanfindanysuchplace." Matthewlaughedveryinsolently.Martinthrewastrangelookathim,andtrembledthroughallhisslightlad'sframebutherestrainedhimself. "Isupposethereisnoobjectiontomywithdrawing?"heinquired. "No.Go,myladbutremembernottobearmalice." Martinwent,andMatthewsentanotherinsolentlaughafterhim.Rose,liftingherfairheadfromMoore'sshoulder,againstwhich,foramoment,ithadbeenresting,said,asshedirectedasteadygazetoMatthew,"Martinisgrieved,andyouaregladbutIwouldratherbeMartinthanyou.Idislikeyournature." HereMr.Moore,bywayofaverting,oratleastescaping,ascene—whichasobfromMrs.Yorkewarnedhimwaslikelytocomeon—rose,andputtingJessyoffhisknee,hekissedherandRose,remindingthem,atthesametime,tobesureandcometotheHollowingoodtimeto-morrowafternoonthen,havingtakenleaveofhishostess,hesaidtoMr.Yorke,"MayIspeakawordwithyou?"andwasfollowedbyhimfromtheroom.Theirbriefconferencetookplaceinthehall. "Haveyouemploymentforagoodworkman?"askedMoore. "Anonsensequestioninthesetimes,whenyouknowthateverymasterhasmanygoodworkmentowhomhecannotgivefullemployment." "Youmustobligemebytakingonthisman,ifpossible." "Mylad,IcantakeonnomorehandstoobligeallEngland." "ItdoesnotsignifyImustfindhimaplacesomewhere." "Whoishe?" "WilliamFarren." "IknowWilliam.Aright-downhonestmanisWilliam." "Hehasbeenoutofworkthreemonths.Hehasalargefamily.Wearesuretheycannotlivewithoutwages.Hewasoneofthedeputationofcloth-dresserswhocametomethismorningtocomplainandthreaten.Williamdidnotthreaten.Heonlyaskedmetogivethemrathermoretime—tomakemychangesmoreslowly.YouknowIcannotdothat:straitenedonallsidesasIam,Ihavenothingforitbuttopushon.Ithoughtitwouldbeidletopalaverlongwiththem.Isentthemaway,afterarrestingarascalamongstthem,whomIhopetotransport—afellowwhopreachesatthechapelyondersometimes." "NotMosesBarraclough?" "Yes." "Ah!you'vearrestedhim?Good!Thenoutofascoundrelyou'regoingtomakeamartyr.You'vedoneawisething." "I'vedonearightthing.Well,theshortandthelongofitis,I'mdeterminedtogetFarrenaplace,andIreckononyoutogivehimone." "Thisiscool,however!"exclaimedMr.Yorke."Whatrighthaveyoutoreckononmetoprovideforyourdismissedworkmen?WhatdoIknowaboutyourFarrensandyourWilliams?I'veheardhe'sanhonestman,butamItosupportallthehonestmeninYorkshire?Youmaysaythatwouldbenogreatchargetoundertakebutgreatorlittle,I'llnoneofit." "Come,Mr.Yorke,whatcanyoufindforhimtodo?" "Ifind!You'llmakemeuselanguageI'mnotaccustomedtouse.Iwishyouwouldgohome.Hereisthedoorsetoff." Mooresatdownononeofthehallchairs. "Youcan'tgivehimworkinyourmill—goodbutyouhaveland.Findhimsomeoccupationonyourland,Mr.Yorke." "Bob,Ithoughtyoucarednothingaboutourlourdaudsdepaysans.Idon'tunderstandthischange." "Ido.Thefellowspoketomenothingbuttruthandsense.IansweredhimjustasroughlyasIdidtherest,whojabberedmeregibberish.Icouldn'tmakedistinctionsthereandthen.Hisappearancetoldwhathehadgonethroughlatelyclearerthanhiswordsbutwhereistheuseofexplaining?Lethimhavework." "Lethimhaveityourself.Ifyouaresoverymuchinearnest,strainapoint." "Iftherewasapointleftinmyaffairstostrain,IwouldstrainittillitcrackedagainbutIreceivedlettersthismorningwhichshowedmeprettyclearlywhereIstand,anditisnotfarofftheendoftheplank.Myforeignmarket,atanyrate,isgorged.Ifthereisnochange—iftheredawnsnoprospectofpeace—iftheOrdersinCouncilarenot,atleast,suspended,soastoopenourwayintheWest—IdonotknowwhereIamtoturn.IseenomorelightthanifIweresealedinarock,sothatformetopretendtoofferamanalivelihoodwouldbetodoadishonestthing." "Come,letustakeaturnonthefront.Itisastarlightnight,"saidMr.Yorke. Theypassedout,closingthefrontdoorafterthem,andsidebysidepacedthefrost-whitepavementtoandfro. "SettleaboutFarrenatonce,"urgedMr.Moore."Youhavelargefruit-gardensatYorkeMills.Heisagoodgardener.Givehimworkthere." "Well,sobeit.I'llsendforhimto-morrow,andwe'llsee.Andnow,mylad,you'reconcernedabouttheconditionofyouraffairs?" "Yes,asecondfailure—whichImaydelay,butwhich,atthismoment,Iseenowayfinallytoavert—wouldblightthenameofMoorecompletelyandyouareawareIhadfineintentionsofpayingoffeverydebtandre-establishingtheoldfirmonitsformerbasis." "Youwantcapital—that'sallyouwant." "Yesbutyoumightaswellsaythatbreathisalladeadmanwantstolive." "Iknow—Iknowcapitalisnottobehadfortheaskingandifyouwereamarriedman,andhadafamily,likeme,Ishouldthinkyourcaseprettynighdesperatebuttheyoungandunencumberedhavechancespeculiartothemselves.IheargossipnowandthenaboutyourbeingontheeveofmarriagewiththismissandthatbutIsupposeitisnoneofittrue?" "Youmaywellsupposethat.IthinkIamnotinapositiontobedreamingofmarriage.Marriage!Icannotbeartheworditsoundssosillyandutopian.Ihavesettleditdecidedlythatmarriageandlovearesuperfluities,intendedonlyfortherich,wholiveatease,andhavenoneedtotakethoughtforthemorrowordesperations—thelastandrecklessjoyofthedeeplywretched,whoneverhopetoriseoutofthesloughoftheirutterpoverty." "IshouldnotthinksoifIwerecircumstancedasyouare.IshouldthinkIcouldverylikelygetawifewithafewthousands,whowouldsuitbothmeandmyaffairs." "Iwonderwhere?" "Wouldyoutryifyouhadachance?" "Idon'tknow.Itdependson—inshort,itdependsonmanythings." "Wouldyoutakeanoldwoman?" "I'dratherbreakstonesontheroad." "SowouldI.Wouldyoutakeanuglyone?" "Bah!Ihateuglinessanddelightinbeauty.Myeyesandheart,Yorke,takepleasureinasweet,young,fairface,astheyarerepelledbyagrim,rugged,meagreone.Softdelicatelinesandhuesplease,harshonesprejudiceme.Iwon'thaveanuglywife." "Notifshewererich?" "Notifsheweredressedingems.Icouldnotlove—Icouldnotfancy—Icouldnotendureher.Mytastemusthavesatisfaction,ordisgustwouldbreakoutindespotism,orworse—freezetouttericiness." "What!Bob,ifyoumarriedanhonest,good-natured,andwealthylass,thoughalittlehard-favoured,couldn'tyouputupwiththehighcheek-bones,theratherwidemouth,andreddishhair?" "I'llnevertry,Itellyou.GraceatleastIwillhave,andyouthandsymmetry—yes,andwhatIcallbeauty." "Andpoverty,andanurseryfullofbairnsyoucanneitherclothenorfeed,andverysoonananxious,fadedmotherandthenbankruptcy,discredit—alife-longstruggle." "Letmealone,Yorke." "Ifyouareromantic,Robert,andespeciallyifyouarealreadyinlove,itisofnousetalking." "Iamnotromantic.Iamstrippedofromanceasbareasthewhitetentersinthatfieldareofcloth." "Alwaysusesuchfiguresofspeech,ladIcanunderstandthem.Andthereisnoloveaffairtodisturbyourjudgment?" "IthoughtIhadsaidenoughonthatsubjectbefore.Loveforme?Stuff!" "Well,then,ifyouaresoundbothinheartandhead,thereisnoreasonwhyyoushouldnotprofitbyagoodchanceifitofferstherefore,waitandsee." "Youarequiteoracular,Yorke." "IthinkIamabiti'thatline.IpromiseyenaughtandIadviseyenaughtbutIbidyekeepyourheartup,andbeguidedbycircumstances." "Mynamesakethephysician'salmanaccouldnotspeakmoreguardedly." "Inthemeantime,Icarenaughtaboutye,RobertMoore:yearenothingakintomeormine,andwhetheryeloseorfindafortuneitmaksnodifferencetome.Gohome,now.Ithasstrickenten.MissHortensewillbewonderingwhereyeare."