CHAPTER XV. MR. DONNE'S EXODUS.

intinthebedroomyouwerealongtimethere." "NoIboreupthatImightholdthedoorfast.Iwasdeterminednottoletanyoneenter.IthoughtIwouldkeepabarrierbetweenmeandtheenemy." "ButwhatifyourfriendMr.Malonehadbeenworried?" "Malonemusttakecareofhimself.Yourmanpersuadedmetocomeoutatlastbysayingthedogwaschainedupinhiskennel.IfIhadnotbeenassuredofthis,Iwouldhaveremainedalldayinthechamber.Butwhatisthat?Ideclarethemanhastoldafalsehood!Thedogisthere!" AndindeedTartarwalkedpasttheglassdooropeningtothegarden,stiff,tawny,andblack-muzzledasever.Hestillseemedinbadhumour.Hewasgrowlingagain,andwhistlingahalf-strangledwhistle,beinganinheritancefromthebulldogsideofhisancestry. "Thereareothervisitorscoming,"observedShirley,withthatprovokingcoolnesswhichtheownersofformidable-lookingdogsareapttoshowwhiletheiranimalsareallbristleandbay.Tartarsprangdownthepavementtowardsthegate,bellowingavecexplosion.Hismistressquietlyopenedtheglassdoor,andsteppedoutchirrupingtohim.Hisbellowwasalreadysilenced,andhewasliftinguphishuge,blunt,stupidheadtothenewcallerstobepatted. "What!Tartar,Tartar!"saidacheery,ratherboyishvoice,"don'tyouknowus?Good-morning,oldboy!" AndlittleMr.Sweeting,whoseconsciousgoodnaturemadehimcomparativelyfearlessofman,woman,child,orbrute,camethroughthegate,caressingtheguardian.Hisvicar,Mr.Hall,followed.HehadnofearofTartareither,andTartarhadnoill-willtohim.Hesnuffedboththegentlemenround,andthen,asifconcludingthattheywereharmless,andmightbeallowedtopass,hewithdrewtothesunnyfrontofthehall,leavingthearchwayfree.Mr.Sweetingfollowed,andwouldhaveplayedwithhimbutTartartooknonoticeofhiscaresses.Itwasonlyhismistress'shandwhosetouchgavehimpleasuretoallothersheshowedhimselfobstinatelyinsensible. ShirleyadvancedtomeetMessrs.HallandSweeting,shakinghandswiththemcordially.Theywerecometotellherofcertainsuccessestheyhadachievedthatmorninginapplicationsforsubscriptionstothefund.Mr.Hall'seyesbeamedbenignantlythroughhisspectacles,hisplainfacelookedpositivelyhandsomewithgoodnessandwhenCaroline,seeingwhowascome,ranouttomeethim,andputbothherhandsintohis,hegazeddownonherwithagentle,serene,affectionateexpressionthatgavehimtheaspectofasmilingMelanchthon. Insteadofre-enteringthehouse,theystrayedthroughthegarden,theladieswalkingoneoneachsideofMr.Hall.Itwasabreezysunnydaytheairfreshenedthegirls'cheeksandgracefullydishevelledtheirringlets.Bothofthemlookedpretty—onegay.Mr.Hallspokeoftenesttohisbrilliantcompanion,lookedmostfrequentlyatthequietone.MissKeeldargatheredhandfulsoftheprofuselybloomingflowerswhoseperfumefilledtheenclosure.ShegavesometoCaroline,tellinghertochooseanosegayforMr.Hallandwithherlapfilledwithdelicateandsplendidblossoms,Carolinesatdownonthestepsofasummer-house.Thevicarstoodnearher,leaningonhiscane. Shirley,whocouldnotbeinhospitable,nowcalledouttheneglectedpairintheoakparlour.SheconvoyedDonnepasthisdreadenemyTartar,who,withhisnoseonhisforepaws,laysnoringunderthemeridiansun.Donnewasnotgrateful—heneverwasgratefulforkindnessandattention—buthewasgladofthesafeguard.MissKeeldar,desirousofbeingimpartial,offeredthecuratesflowers.Theyacceptedthemwithnativeawkwardness.Maloneseemedspeciallyataloss,whenabouquetfilledonehand,whilehisshillelahoccupiedtheother.Donne's"Thankyou!"wasrichtohear.Itwasthemostfatuousandarrogantofsounds,implyingthatheconsideredthisofferingahomagetohismerits,andanattemptonthepartoftheheiresstoingratiateherselfintohispricelessaffections.Sweetingalonereceivedtheposylikeasmart,sensiblelittleman,ashewas,puttingitgallantlyandnattilyintohisbuttonhole. Asarewardforhisgoodmanners,MissKeeldar,beckoninghimapart,gavehimsomecommission,whichmadehiseyessparklewithglee.Awayheflew,roundbythecourtyardtothekitchen.Noneedtogivehimdirectionshewasalwaysathomeeverywhere.Erelonghereappeared,carryingaroundtable,whichheplacedunderthecedarthenhecollectedsixgarden-chairsfromvariousnooksandbowersinthegrounds,andplacedtheminacircle.Theparlour-maid—MissKeeldarkeptnofootman—cameout,bearinganapkin-coveredtray.Sweeting'snimblefingersaidedindisposingglasses,plates,knives,andforksheassistedhertooinsettingforthaneatluncheon,consistingofcoldchicken,ham,andtarts. ThissortofimprompturegaleitwasShirley'sdelighttoofferanychanceguestsandnothingpleasedherbetterthantohaveanalert,obliginglittlefriend,likeSweeting,torunaboutherhand,cheerilyreceiveandbrisklyexecuteherhospitablehints.Davidandshewereonthebesttermsintheworldandhisdevotiontotheheiresswasquitedisinterested,sinceitprejudicedinnothinghisfaithfulallegiancetothemagnificentDoraSykes. Therepastturnedoutaverymerryone.DonneandMalone,indeed,contributedbutlittletoitsvivacity,thechiefparttheyplayedinitbeingwhatconcernedtheknife,fork,andwine-glassbutwherefoursuchnaturesasMr.Hall,DavidSweeting,Shirley,andCarolinewereassembledinhealthandamity,onagreenlawn,underasunnysky,amidstawildernessofflowers,therecouldnotbeungenialdullness. InthecourseofconversationMr.HallremindedtheladiesthatWhitsuntidewasapproaching,whenthegrandunitedSunday-schooltea-dr