CHAPTER XVIII. WHICH THE GENTEEL READER IS RECOMMENDED TO SKIP, LOW PERSONS BEING HERE INTRODUCED.

wayheturnshecannotbetterhimselfandthereisdishonestmenplentytoguidethemtothedevil,scoundrelsthatreckonstobethe'people'sfriends,'andthatknowsnoughtaboutthepeople,andisasinsincereasLucifer.I'velivedaboonfortyyearintheworld,andIbelievethat'thepeople'willneverhaveanytruefriendsbuttheirselnandthemtwoorthreegoodfolki'differentstationsthatisfriendstoalltheworld.Humannatur',takingiti'th'lump,isnoughtbutselfishness.Itisbutexcessivefew,itisbutjustanexceptionhereandthere,nowandthen,sichasyetwoyoungunsandme,that,beinginadifferentsphere,canunderstandt'onet'other,andbefriendswi'outslavishnesso'onehandorprideo't'other.Themthatreckonstobefriendstoalowerclassthantheirownfro'politicalmotivesisnevertobetrustedtheyalwaystrytomaketheirinferiorstools.Formyownpart,Iwillneitherbepatronizednormisledfornoman'spleasure.I'vehadoverturesmadetomelatelythatIsawweretreacherous,andIflung'embacki'thefaceso'themthatoffered'em." "Youwon'ttelluswhatovertures?" "Iwillnot.Itwoulddonogood.Itwouldmaknodifference.Themtheyconcernedcanlookaftertheirseln." "Ay,we'selookafterwerseln,"saidanothervoice.JoeScotthadsaunteredforthfromthechurchtogetabreathoffreshair,andtherehestood. "I'llwarrantye,Joe,"observedWilliam,smiling. "AndI'llwarrantmymaister,"wastheanswer.—"Youngladies,"continuedJoe,assumingalordlyair,"ye'dbettergointoth'house." "Iwonderwhatfor?"inquiredShirley,towhomtheoverlooker'ssomewhatpragmaticalmannerswerefamiliar,andwhowasoftenatwarwithhimforJoe,holdingsupercilioustheoriesaboutwomeningeneral,resentedgreatly,inhissecretsoul,thefactofhismasterandhismaster'smillbeing,inamanner,underpetticoatgovernment,andhadfeltaswormwoodandgallcertainbusinessvisitsoftheheiresstotheHollow'scounting-house. "Becausethereisnoughtagatethatfitswomentobeconsarnedin." "Indeed!Thereisprayerandpreachingagateinthatchurch.Arewenotconcernedinthat?" "Yehavebeenpresentneitherattheprayernorpreaching,ma'am,ifIhaveobservedaright.WhatIalludedtowaspolitics.WilliamFarrenherewastouchingonthatsubject,ifI'mnotmista'en." "Well,whatthen?Politicsareourhabitualstudy,Joe.DoyouknowIseeanewspapereveryday,andtwoofaSunday?" "Ishouldthinkyou'llreadthemarriages,probably,miss,andthemurders,andtheaccidents,andsichlike?" "Ireadtheleadingarticles,Joe,andtheforeignintelligence,andIlookoverthemarketprices.Inshort,Ireadjustwhatgentlemenread." Joelookedasifhethoughtthistalkwaslikethechatteringofapie.Herepliedtoitbyadisdainfulsilence. "Joe,"continuedMissKeeldar,"IneveryetcouldascertainproperlywhetheryouareaWhigoraTory.Pray,whichpartyhasthehonourofyouralliance?" "Itisraytherdifficulttoexplainwhereyouaresurenottobeunderstood,"wasJoe'shaughtyresponse"butastobeingaTory,I'dassoonbeanoldwoman,orayoungone,whichisamoreflimsierarticlestill.ItistheToriesthatcarriesonthewarandruinstradeandifIbeofanyparty—thoughpoliticalpartiesisallnonsense—I'mofthatwhichismostfavourabletopeace,and,byconsequence,tothemercantileinterestsofthishereland." "SoamI,Joe,"repliedShirley,whohadratherapleasureinteasingtheoverlooker,bypersistingintalkingonsubjectswithwhichheopinedshe,asawoman,hadnorighttomeddle—"partly,atleast.Ihaveratheraleaningtotheagriculturalinterest,tooasgoodreasonis,seeingthatIdon'tdesireEnglandtobeunderthefeetofFrance,andthatifashareofmyincomecomesfromHollow'sMill,alargersharecomesfromthelandedestatearoundit.Itwouldnotdototakeanymeasuresinjurioustothefarmers,Joe,Ithink?" "Thedewsatthishourisunwholesomeforfemales,"observedJoe. "Ifyoumakethatremarkoutofinterestinme,IhavemerelytoassureyouthatIamimpervioustocold.Ishouldnotmindtakingmyturntowatchthemilloneofthesesummernights,armedwithyourmusket,Joe." JoeScott'schinwasalwaysratherprominent.Hepokeditout,atthisspeech,someinchesfartherthanusual. "But—togobacktomysheep,"sheproceeded—"clothierandmill-ownerasIam,besidesfarmer,Icannotgetoutofmyheadacertainideathatwemanufacturersandpersonsofbusinessaresometimesalittle—averylittle—selfishandshort-sightedinourviews,andrathertooregardlessofhumansuffering,ratherheartlessino