CHAPTER XVII. THE SCHOOL FEAST.

renchwordbecauseitexpressesjustwhatImean—neithergoodnessnorgood-nature,butsomethingbetweenthetwo)wouldpresentlygettheupperhand.Itdid.Hortensehadnosoonerexaminedherfacewell,andobservedthechangeitssomewhatwastedfeaturesbetrayed,thanhermiensoftened.Kissingheronbothcheeks,sheaskedanxiouslyafterherhealth.Carolineansweredgaily.Itwould,however,havebeenherlottoundergoalongcross-examination,followedbyanendlesslectureonthishead,hadnotMissManncalledofftheattentionofthequestionerbyrequestingtobeconductedhome.Thepoorinvalidwasalreadyfatigued.Herwearinessmadehercross—toocrossalmosttospeaktoCarolineandbesides,thatyoungperson'swhitedressandlivelylookweredispleasingintheeyesofMissMann.Theeverydaygarbofbrownstufforgraygingham,andtheeverydayairofmelancholy,suitedthesolitaryspinsterbettershewouldhardlyknowheryoungfriendto-night,andquittedherwithacoolnod.Hortensehavingpromisedtoaccompanyherhome,theydepartedtogether. CarolinenowlookedroundforShirley.Shesawtherainbowscarfandpurpledressinthecentreofathrongofladies,allwellknowntoherself,butalloftheorderwhomshesystematicallyavoidedwheneveravoidancewaspossible.Shyeratsomemomentsthanatothers,shefeltjustnownocourageatalltojointhiscompany.Shecouldnot,however,standalonewhereallotherswentinpairsorpartiessosheapproachedagroupofherownscholars,greatgirls,orratheryoungwomen,whowerestandingwatchingsomehundredsoftheyoungerchildrenplayingatblind-man'sbuff. MissHelstoneknewthesegirlslikedher,yetshewasshyevenwiththemoutofschool.Theywerenotmoreinaweofherthansheofthem.Shedrewnearthemnow,rathertofindprotectionintheircompanythantopatronizethemwithherpresence.Bysomeinstincttheyknewherweakness,andwithnaturalpolitenesstheyrespectedit.Herknowledgecommandedtheiresteemwhenshetaughtthemhergentlenessattractedtheirregardandbecauseshewaswhattheyconsideredwiseandgoodwhenonduty,theykindlyoverlookedherevidenttimiditywhenoff.Theydidnottakeadvantageofit.Peasantgirlsastheywere,theyhadtoomuchofourownEnglishsensibilitytobeguiltyofthecoarseerror.Theystoodroundherstill,civil,friendly,receivingherslightsmilesandratherhurriedeffortstoconversewithagoodfeelingandgoodbreeding—thelastqualitybeingtheresultofthefirst—whichsoonsetheratherease. Mr.SamWynnecomingupwithgreathaste,toinsistontheeldergirlsjoininginthegameaswellastheyoungerones,Carolinewasagainleftalone.Shewasmeditatingaquietretreattothehouse,whenShirley,perceivingfromafarherisolation,hastenedtoherside. "Letusgotothetopofthefields,"shesaid."Iknowyoudon'tlikecrowds,Caroline." "Butitwillbedeprivingyouofapleasure,Shirley,totakeyoufromallthesefinepeople,whocourtyoursocietysoassiduously,andtowhomyoucan,withoutartoreffort,makeyourselfsopleasant." "NotquitewithouteffortIamalreadytiredoftheexertion.Itisbutinsipid,barrenwork,talkingandlaughingwiththegoodgentlefolksofBriarfield.Ihavebeenlookingoutforyourwhitedressforthelasttenminutes.IliketowatchthoseIloveinacrowd,andtocomparethemwithothers.Ihavethuscomparedyou.Youresemblenoneoftherest,Lina.Therearesomeprettierfacesthanyourshere.YouarenotamodelbeautylikeHarrietSykes,forinstance—besideheryourpersonappearsalmostinsignificant—butyoulookagreeable,youlookreflective,youlookwhatIcallinteresting." "Hush,Shirley!youflatterme." "Idon'twonderthatyourscholarslikeyou." "Nonsense,Shirley!Talkofsomethingelse." "WewilltalkofMoore,then,andwewillwatchhim.Iseehimevennow." "Where?"AndasCarolineaskedthequestionshelookednotoverthefields,butintoMissKeeldar'seyes,aswasherwontwheneverShirleymentionedanyobjectshedescriedafar.Herfriendhadquickervisionthanherself,andCarolineseemedtothinkthatthesecretofhereagleacutenessmightbereadinherdarkgrayirides,orrather,perhaps,sheonlysoughtguidancebythedirectionofthosediscriminatingandbrilliantspheres. "ThereisMoore,"saidShirley,pointingrightacrossthewidefieldwhereathousandchildrenwereplaying,andnownearlyathousandadultspectatorswalkingabout."There—canyoumissthetallstatureandstraightport?HelooksamidstthesetthatsurroundhimlikeEliabamongsthumblershepherds—likeSaulinawar-councilandawar-councilitis,ifIamnotmistaken." "Whyso,Shirley?"askedCaroline,whoseeyehadatlastcaughttheobjectitsought."Robertisjustnowspeakingtomyuncle,andtheyareshakinghands.Theyarethenreconciled." "Reconcilednotwithoutgoodreason,dependonit—makingcommoncauseagainstsomecommonfoe.Andwhy,thinkyou,areMessrs.WynneandSykes,andArmitageandRamsden,gatheredinsuchaclosecircleroundthem?AndwhyisMalonebeckonedtojointhem?Whereheissummoned,besureastrongarmisneeded." Shirley,asshewatched,grewrestlesshereyesflashed. "Theywon'ttrustme,"shesaid."Thatisalwaysthewaywhenitcomestothepoint." "Whatabout?" "Cannotyoufeel?Thereissomemysteryafloatsomeeventisexpectedsomepreparationistobemade,Iamcertain.IsawitallinMr.Moore'smannerthisevening.Hewasexcited,yethard." "Hardtoyou,Shirley?" "Yes,tome.Heoftenishardtome.Weseldomconversetête-à-têtebutIammadetofeelthatthebasisofhischaracterisnotofeiderdown." "Yetheseemedtotalktoyousoftly." "Didhenot?Verygentletonesandquietmanner.Yetthemanisperemptoryandsecret:hissecrecyvexesme." "Yes,Robertissecret." "Whichhehasscarcelyarighttobewithme,especiallyashecommencedbygivingmehisconfidence.Havingdonenothingtoforfeitthatconfidence,itoughtnottobewithdrawnbutIsupposeIamnotconsiderediron-souledenoughtobetrustedinacrisis." "Hefears,probably,tooccasionyouuneasiness." "Anunnecessaryprecaution.Iamofelasticmaterials,notsooncrushed.Heoughttoknowthat.Butthemanisproud.Hehashisfaults,saywhatyouwill,Lina.Observehowengagedthatgroupappear.Theydonotknowwearewatchingthem." "Ifwekeeponthealert,Shirley,weshallperhapsfindthecluetotheirsecret." "Therewillbesom