CHAPTER XVII. THE SCHOOL FEAST.

sroundtheschool.Therethechildrenwereseated,andhugebaskets,coveredupwithwhitecloths,andgreatsmokingtinvesselswerebroughtout.Erethedistributionofgoodthingscommenced,abriefgracewaspronouncedbyMr.Hallandsungbythechildren.Theiryoungvoicessoundedmelodious,eventouching,intheopenair.Largecurrantbunsandhot,well-sweetenedteawerethenadministeredintheproperspiritofliberality.Nostintingwaspermittedonthisday,atleasttheruleforeachchild'sallowancebeingthatitwastohaveabouttwiceasmuchasitcouldpossiblyeat,thusleavingareservetobecarriedhomeforsuchasage,sickness,orotherimpedimentpreventedfromcomingtothefeast.Bunsandbeercirculated,meantime,amongstthemusiciansandchurch-singersafterwardsthebencheswereremoved,andtheywerelefttounbendtheirspiritsinlicensedplay. Abellsummonedtheteachers,patrons,andpatronessestotheschoolroom.MissKeeldar,MissHelstone,andmanyotherladieswerealreadythere,glancingoverthearrangementoftheirseparatetraysandtables.Mostofthefemaleservantsoftheneighbourhood,togetherwiththeclerks',thesingers',andthemusicians'wives,hadbeenpressedintotheserviceofthedayaswaiters.Eachviedwiththeotherinsmartnessanddaintinessofdress,andmanyhandsomeformswereseenamongsttheyoungerones.Abouthalfascorewerecuttingbreadandbutter,anotherhalf-scoresupplyinghotwater,broughtfromthecoppersoftherector'skitchen.Theprofusionofflowersandevergreensdecoratingthewhitewalls,theshowofsilverteapotsandbrightporcelainonthetables,theactivefigures,blithefaces,gaydressesflittingabouteverywhere,formedaltogetherarefreshingandlivelyspectacle.Everybodytalked,notveryloudly,butmerrily,andthecanarybirdssangshrillintheirhigh-hungcages. Caroline,astherector'sniece,tookherplaceatoneofthethreefirsttablesMrs.BoultbyandMargaretHallofficiatedattheothers.Atthesetablestheéliteofthecompanyweretobeentertained,strictrulesofequalitynotbeingmoreinfashionatBriarfieldthanelsewhere.MissHelstoneremovedherbonnetandscarf,thatshemightbelessoppressedwiththeheat.Herlongcurls,fallingonherneck,servedalmostinplaceofaveilandfortherest,hermuslindresswasfashionedmodestlyasanun'srobe,enablingherthustodispensewiththeencumbranceofashawl. Theroomwasfilling.Mr.HallhadtakenhispostbesideCaroline,whonow,assherearrangedthecupsandspoonsbeforeher,whisperedtohiminalowvoiceremarksontheeventsoftheday.HelookedalittlegraveaboutwhathadtakenplaceinRoydLane,andshetriedtosmilehimoutofhisseriousness.MissKeeldarsatnear—forawonder,neitherlaughingnortalkingonthecontrary,verystill,andgazingroundhervigilantly.Sheseemedafraidlestsomeintrudershouldtakeaseatsheapparentlywishedtoreservenextherown.Everandanonshespreadhersatindressoveranundueportionofthebench,orlaidherglovesorherembroideredhandkerchiefuponit.Carolinenoticedthismanègeatlast,andaskedherwhatfriendsheexpected.Shirleybenttowardsher,almosttouchedherearwithherrosylips,andwhisperedwithamusicalsoftnessthatoftencharacterizedhertoneswhenwhatshesaidtendedevenremotelytostirsomesweetsecretsourceoffeelinginherheart,"IexpectMr.Moore.Isawhimlastnight,andImadehimpromisetocomewithhissister,andtositatourtable.Hewon'tfailme,IfeelcertainbutIapprehendhiscomingtoolate,andbeingseparatedfromus.Hereisafreshbatcharrivingeveryplacewillbetaken.Provoking!" Infact,Mr.Wynnethemagistrate,hiswife,hisson,andhistwodaughtersnowenteredinhighstate.TheywereBriarfieldgentry.Ofcoursetheirplacewasatthefirsttable,andbeingconductedthither,theyfilledupthewholeremainingspace.ForMissKeeldar'scomfort,Mr.SamWynneinductedhimselfintotheveryvacancyshehadkeptforMoore,plantinghimselfsolidlyonhergown,hergloves,andherhandkerchief.Mr.Samwasoneoftheobjectsofheraversion,andthemoresobecauseheshowedserioussymptomsofanaimatherhand.Theoldgentleman,too,hadpubliclydeclaredthattheFieldheadestateandtheDeWaldenestateweredelightfullycontagious—amalapropismwhichrumourhadnotfailedtorepeattoShirley. Caroline'searsyetrungwiththatthrillingwhisper,"IexpectMr.Moore,"herheartyetbeatandhercheekyetglowedwithit,whenanotefromtheorganpealedabovetheconfusedhumoftheplace.Dr.Boultby,Mr.Helstone,andMr.Hallrose,sodidallpresent,andgracewassungtotheaccompanimentofthemusicandthenteabegan.Shewaskepttoobusywithherofficeforawhiletohaveleisureforlookinground,butthelastcupbeingfilled,shethrewarestlessglanceovertheroom.Thereweresomeladiesandseveralgentlemenstandingaboutyetunaccommodatedwithseats.Amidstagroupsherecognizedherspinsterfriend,MissMann,whomthefineweatherhadtempted,orsomeurgentfriendhadpersuaded,toleaveherdrearsolitudeforonehourofsocialenjoyment.MissMannlookedtiredofstandingaladyinayellowbonnetbroughtherachair.Carolineknewwellthatchapeauensatinjaunesheknewtheblackhair,andthekindlythoughratheropinionatedandfroward-lookingfaceunderitsheknewthatrobedesoienoire,shekneweventhatschallgrisdelinsheknew,inshort,HortenseMoore,andshewantedtojumpupandruntoherandkissher—togiveheroneembraceforherownsakeandtwoforherbrother's.Shehalfrose,indeed,withasmotheredexclamation,andperhaps—fortheimpulsewasverystrong—shewouldhaverunacrosstheroomandactuallysalutedherbutahandreplacedherinherseat,andavoicebehindherwhispered,"Waittillaftertea,Lina,andthenI'llbringhertoyou." Andwhenshecouldlookupshedid,andtherewasRoberthimselfclosebehind,smilingathereagerness,lookingbetterthanshehadeverseenhimlook—looking,indeed,toherpartialeyes,soveryhandsomethatshedarednottrustherselftohazardasecondglanceforhisimagestruckonhervisionwithpainfulbrightness,andpictureditselfonhermemoryasvividlyasiftheredaguerreotypedbyapencilofkeenlightning. Hemovedon,andspoketoMissKeeldar.Shirley,irritatedbysomeunwelcomeattentionsfromSamWynne,andbythefactofthatgentlemanbeingstillseatedonherglovesandhandkerchief—andprobably,also,byMoore'swantofpunctuality—wasby