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

urpursuitofgain.Don'tyouagreewithme,Joe?" "IcannotarguewhereIcannotbecomprehended,"wasagaintheanswer. "Manofmystery!Yourmasterwillarguewithmesometimes,Joe.Heisnotsostiffasyouare." "Maybenot.We'veallourownways." "Joe,doyouseriouslythinkallthewisdomintheworldislodgedinmaleskulls?" "IthinkthatwomenareakittleandafrowardgenerationandI'veagreatrespectforthedoctrinesdeliveredinthesecondchapterofSt.Paul'sfirstEpistletoTimothy." "Whatdoctrines,Joe?" "'Letthewomanlearninsilence,withallsubjection.Isuffernotawomantoteach,nortousurpauthorityovertheman,buttobeinsilence.ForAdamwasfirstformed,thenEve.'" "Whathasthattodowiththebusiness?"interjectedShirley."Thatsmacksofrightsofprimogeniture.I'llbringituptoMr.Yorkethefirsttimeheinveighsagainstthoserights." "And,"continuedJoeScott,"Adamwasnotdeceived,butthewomanbeingdeceivedwasinthetransgression." "MoreshametoAdamtosinwithhiseyesopen!"criedMissKeeldar."Toconfessthehonesttruth,Joe,Ineverwaseasyinmymindconcerningthatchapter.Itpuzzlesme." "Itisveryplain,miss.Hethatrunsmayread." "Hemayreaditinhisownfashion,"remarkedCaroline,nowjoininginthedialogueforthefirsttime."Youallowtherightofprivatejudgment,Isuppose,Joe?" "Mycerty,thatIdo!IallowandclaimitforeverylineoftheholyBook." "Womenmayexerciseitaswellasmen?" "Nay.Womenistotaketheirhusbands'opinion,bothinpoliticsandreligion.It'swholesomestforthem." "Oh!oh!"exclaimedbothShirleyandCaroline. "Tobesurenodoubton't,"persistedthestubbornoverlooker. "Consideryourselfgroaneddown,andcriedshameover,forsuchastupidobservation,"saidMissKeeldar."Youmightaswellsaymenaretotaketheopinionsoftheirpriestswithoutexamination.Ofwhatvaluewouldareligionsoadoptedbe?Itwouldbemereblind,besottedsuperstition." "Andwhatisyourreading,MissHelstone,o'thesewordso'St.Paul's?" "Hem!I—Iaccountfortheminthisway.HewrotethatchapterforaparticularcongregationofChristians,underpeculiarcircumstancesandbesides,Idaresay,ifIcouldreadtheoriginalGreek,Ishouldfindthatmanyofthewordshavebeenwronglytranslated,perhapsmisapprehendedaltogether.Itwouldbepossible,Idoubtnot,withalittleingenuity,togivethepassagequiteacontraryturn—tomakeitsay,'Letthewomanspeakoutwheneversheseesfittomakeanobjection.''Itispermittedtoawomantoteachandtoexerciseauthorityasmuchasmaybe.Man,meantime,cannotdobetterthanholdhispeace'andsoon." "Thatwilln'twash,miss." "Idaresayitwill.Mynotionsaredyedinfastercoloursthanyours,Joe.Mr.Scott,youareathoroughlydogmaticalperson,andalwayswere.IlikeWilliambetterthanyou." "Joeiswellenoughinhisownhouse,"saidShirley."Ihaveseenhimasquietasalambathome.ThereisnotabetternorakinderhusbandinBriarfield.Hedoesnotdogmatizetohiswife." "Mywifeisahard-working,plainwomantimeandtroublehasta'enalltheconceitoutofher.Butthatisnotthecasewithyou,youngmisses.Andthenyoureckontohavesomuchknowledgeandi'mythoughtsit'sonlysuperficialsorto'vanitiesyou'reacquaintedwith.Icantell—happenayearsin'—onedayMissCarolinecomingintoourcounting-housewhenIwarpackingupsummatbehindt'greatdesk,andshedidn'tseeme,andshebroughtaslatewi'asumonittot'maister.Itwaronlyabitofasuminpractice,thatourHarrywouldhavesettledi'twominutes.Shecouldn'tdoit.Mr.Moorehadtoshowherhow.Andwhenhedidshowher,shecouldn'tunderstandhim." "Nonsense,Joe!" "Nay,it'snononsense.AndMissShirleytherereckonstohearkentot'maisterwhenhe'stalkingowertrade,soattentivelike,asifshefollowedhimwordforword,andallwarasclearasalady'slooking-glasstohereenandallt'whileshe'speepingandpeepingouto't'windowtoseeift'marestandsquietandthenlookingatabitofasplashonherriding-skirtandthenglancinggleglyroundatwercounting-housecobwebsanddust,andthinkingwhatmuckyfolkweare,andwhatagrandrideshe'llhavejusti'nowowerNunnelyCommon.Shehearsnomoreo'Mr.Moore'stalknorifhespakeHebrew." "Joe,youarearealslanderer.Iwouldgiveyouyouranswer,onlythepeoplearecomingoutofchurch.Wemustleaveyou.Manofprejudice,good-bye.—William,good-bye.—Children,comeuptoFieldheadto-morrow,andyoushallchoosewhatyoulikebestoutofMrs.Gill'sstore-room."