CHAPTER XV. MR. DONNE'S EXODUS.

tonesofMr.Hall."Ahem!"hebegan,clearinghisthroatevidentlyforaspeechofsomeimportance—"ahem!MissKeeldar,yourattentionaninstant,ifyouplease." "Well,"saidShirleynonchalantly,"whatisit?Ilisten.Allofmeisearthatisnoteye." "Ihopepartofyouishandalso,"returnedDonne,inhisvulgarlypresumptuousandfamiliarstyle,"andpartpurse.ItistothehandandpurseIproposetoappeal.Icameherethismorningwithaviewtobegofyou——" "YoushouldhavegonetoMrs.Gillsheismyalmoner." "Tobegofyouasubscriptiontoaschool.IandDr.BoultbyintendtoerectoneinthehamletofEcclefigg,whichisunderourvicarageofWhinbury.TheBaptistshavegotpossessionofit.Theyhaveachapelthere,andwewanttodisputetheground." "ButIhavenothingtodowithEcclefigg.Ipossessnopropertythere." "Whatdoesthatsignify?You'reachurchwoman,ain'tyou?" "Admirablecreature!"mutteredShirley,underherbreath."Exquisiteaddress!Finestyle!Whatrapturesheexcitesinme!"Thenaloud,"Iamachurchwoman,certainly." "Thenyoucan'trefusetocontributeinthiscase.ThepopulationofEcclefiggareaparcelofbruteswewanttocivilizethem." "Whoistobethemissionary?" "Myself,probably." "Youwon'tfailthroughlackofsympathywithyourflock." "Ihopenot—Iexpectsuccessbutwemusthavemoney.Thereisthepaper.Praygiveahandsomesum." Whenaskedformoney,Shirleyrarelyheldback.Sheputdownhernamefor￡5.Afterthe￡300shehadlatelygiven,andthemanysmallersumsshewasgivingconstantly,itwasasmuchasshecouldatpresentafford.Donnelookedatit,declaredthesubscription"shabby,"andclamorouslydemandedmore.MissKeeldarflushedupwithsomeindignationandmoreastonishment. "AtpresentIshallgivenomore,"saidshe. "Notgivemore!Why,Iexpectedyoutoheadthelistwithacoolhundred.Withyourproperty,youshouldneverputdownasignatureforless." Shewassilent. "Inthesouth,"wentonDonne,"aladywithathousandayearwouldbeashamedtogivefivepoundsforapublicobject." Shirley,sorarelyhaughty,lookedsonow.Herslightframebecamenervedherdistinguishedfacequickenedwithscorn. "Strangeremarks?"saidshe—"mostinconsiderate!Reproachinreturnforbountyismisplaced." "Bounty!Doyoucallfivepoundsbounty?" "Idoandbountywhich,hadInotgivenittoDr.Boultby'sintendedschool,oftheerectionofwhichIapprove,andinnosorttohiscurate,whoseemsill-advisedinhismannerofapplyingfor,orratherextorting,subscriptions—bounty,Irepeat,which,butforthisconsideration,Ishouldinstantlyreclaim." Donnewasthick-skinned.Hedidnotfeelallorhalfthatthetone,air,glanceofthespeakerexpressed.Heknewnotonwhatgroundhestood. "WretchedplacethisYorkshire,"hewenton."IcouldneverhaveformedanidearofthecountryhadInotseenit.Andthepeople—richandpoor—whataset!Howcorseanduncultivated!Theywouldbescoutedinthesouth." Shirleyleanedforwardsonthetable,hernostrilsdilatingalittle,hertaperfingersinterlacedandcompressingeachotherhard. "Therich,"pursuedtheinfatuatedandunconsciousDonne,"areaparcelofmisers,neverlivingaspersonswiththeirincomesoughttolive.Youscarsley"—(youmustexcuseMr.Donne'spronunciation,readeritwasverychoiceheconsidereditgenteel,andpridedhimselfonhissouthernaccentnorthernearsreceivedwithsingularsensationshisutteranceofcertainwords)—"youscarsleyeverseeafam'lywhereapropacarriageorareg'labutlaiskepandastothepoor—justlookatthemwhentheycomecrowdingaboutthechurchdoorsontheoccasionofamarriageorafuneral,clatteringinclogsthemenintheirshirt-sleevesandwool-combers'aprons,thewomeninmob-capsandbed-gowns.Theypositivelydeservethatoneshouldturnamadcowinamongstthemtorouttheirrabble-ranks.He-he!whatfunitwouldbe!" "There!youhavereachedtheclimax,"saidShirleyquietly."Youhavereachedtheclimax,"sherepeated,turningherglowingglancetowardshim."Youcannotgobeyondit,and,"sheaddedwithemphasis,"youshallnot,inmyhouse." Upsherose—nobodycouldcontrolhernow,forshewasexasperated—straightshewalkedtohergardengates,widesheflungthemopen. "Walkthrough,"shesaidausterely,"andprettyquickly,andsetfootonthispavementnomore." Donnewasastounded.Hehadthoughtallthetimehewasshowinghimselfofftohighadvantage,asalofty-souledpersonofthefirst"ton"heimaginedhewasproducingacrushingimpression.HadhenotexpresseddisdainofeverythinginYorkshire?Whatmoreconclusiveproofcouldbegiventhathewasbetterthananythingthere?AndyetherewasheabouttobeturnedlikeadogoutofaYorkshiregarden!Where,undersuchcircumstances,wasthe"concatenationaccordingly"? "Ridmeofyouinstantly—instantly!"reiteratedShirley,ashelingered. "Madam—aclergyman!turnoutaclergyman!" "Off!Wereyouanarchbishopyouhaveprovedyourselfnogentleman,andmustgo.Quick!" Shewasquiteresolved.Therewasnotriflingwithher.Besides,Tartarwasagainrisingheperceivedsymptomsofacommotionhemanifestedadispositiontojoinin.Therewasevidentlynothingforitbuttogo,andDonnemadehisexodus,theheiresssweepinghimadeepcurtsyassheclosedthegatesonhim. "Howdarethepompouspriestabusehisflock!HowdarethelispingcockneyrevileYorkshire!"washersoleobservationonthecircumstance,asshereturnedtothetable. ErelongthelittlepartybrokeupMissKeeldar'sruffledanddarkenedbrow,curledlip,andincensedeyegavenoinvitationtofurthersocialenjoyment.