CHAPTER XXI. MRS. PRYOR.

WhileShirleywastalkingwithMoore,CarolinerejoinedMrs.Pryorupstairs.Shefoundthatladydeeplydepressed.ShewouldnotsaythatMissKeeldar'shastinesshadhurtherfeelings,butitwasevidentaninwardwoundgalledher.Toanybutacongenialnatureshewouldhaveseemedinsensibletothequiet,tenderattentionsbywhichMissHelstonesoughttoimpartsolacebutCarolineknewthat,unmovedorslightlymovedasshelooked,shefelt,valued,andwashealedbythem. "Iamdeficientinself-confidenceanddecision,"shesaidatlast."Ialwayshavebeendeficientinthosequalities.YetIthinkMissKeeldarshouldhaveknownmycharacterwellenoughbythistimetobeawarethatIalwaysfeelanevenpainfulsolicitudetodoright,toactforthebest.Theunusualnatureofthedemandonmyjudgmentpuzzledme,especiallyfollowingthealarmsofthenight.IcouldnotventuretoactpromptlyforanotherbutItrustnoseriousharmwillresultfrommylapseoffirmness." Agentleknockwashereheardatthedoor.Itwashalfopened. "Caroline,comehere,"saidalowvoice. MissHelstonewentout.TherestoodShirleyinthegallery,lookingcontrite,ashamed,sorryasanyrepentantchild. "HowisMrs.Pryor?"sheasked. "Ratheroutofspirits,"saidCaroline. "Ihavebehavedveryshamefully,veryungenerously,veryungratefullytoher,"saidShirley."Howinsolentinmetoturnonherthusforwhat,afterall,wasnofault—onlyanexcessofconscientiousnessonherpart.ButIregretmyerrormostsincerely.Tellherso,andaskifshewillforgiveme." Carolinedischargedtheerrandwithheartfeltpleasure.Mrs.Pryorrose,cametothedoor.Shedidnotlikescenesshedreadedthemasalltimidpeopledo.Shesaidfalteringly,"Comein,mydear." Shirleydidcomeinwithsomeimpetuosity.Shethrewherarmsroundhergoverness,andwhileshekissedherheartilyshesaid,"Youknowyoumustforgiveme,Mrs.Pryor.Icouldnotgetonatalliftherewasamisunderstandingbetweenyouandme." "Ihavenothingtoforgive,"wasthereply."Wewillpassitovernow,ifyouplease.ThefinalresultoftheincidentisthatitprovesmoreplainlythaneverhowunequalIamtocertaincrises." AndthatwasthepainfulfeelingwhichwouldremainonMrs.Pryor'smind.NoeffortofShirley'sorCaroline'scouldeffaceitthence.Shecouldforgiveheroffendingpupil,notherinnocentself. MissKeeldar,doomedtobeinconstantrequestduringthemorning,waspresentlysummoneddownstairsagain.Therectorcalledfirst.Alivelywelcomeandlivelierreprimandwereathisservice.Heexpectedboth,and,beinginhighspirits,tooktheminequallygoodpart. Inthecourseofhisbriefvisithequiteforgottoaskafterhisniecetheriot,therioters,themill,themagistrates,theheiress,absorbedallhisthoughtstotheexclusionoffamilyties.HealludedtotheparthimselfandcuratehadtakeninthedefenceoftheHollow. "Thevialsofpharisaicalwrathwillbeemptiedonourheadsforourshareinthisbusiness,"hesaid"butIdefyeverycalumniator.Iwasthereonlytosupportthelaw,toplaymypartasamanandaBritonwhichcharactersIdeemquitecompatiblewiththoseofthepriestandLevite,intheirhighestsense.YourtenantMoore,"hewenton,"haswonmyapprobation.AcoolercommanderIwouldnotwishtosee,noramoredetermined.Besides,themanhasshownsoundjudgmentandgoodsense—first,inbeingthoroughlypreparedfortheeventwhichhastakenplaceandsubsequently,whenhiswell-concertedplanshadsecuredhimsuccess,inknowinghowtousewithoutabusinghisvictory.Someofthemagistratesarenowwellfrightened,and,likeallcowards,showatendencytobecruel.Moorerestrainsthemwithadmirableprudence.Hehashithertobeenveryunpopularintheneighbourhoodbut,markmywords,thetideofopinionwillnowtakeaturninhisfavour.Peoplewillfindoutthattheyhavenotappreciatedhim,andwillhastentoremedytheirerrorandhe,whenheperceivesthepublicdisposedtoacknowledgehismerits,willshowamoregraciousmienthanthatwithwhichhehashithertofavouredus." Mr.Helstonewasabouttoaddtothisspeechsomehalf-jesting,half-seriouswarningstoMissKeeldaronthesubjectofherrumouredpartialityforhertalentedtenant,whenaringatthedoor,announcinganothercaller,checkedhisrailleryandasthatothercallerappearedintheformofawhite-hairedelderlygentleman,witharathertruculentcountenanceanddisdainfuleye—inshort,ouroldacquaintance,andtherector'soldenemy,Mr.Yorke—thepriestandLeviteseizedhishat,andwiththebriefestofadieustoMissKeeldarandthesternestofnodstoherguesttookanabruptleave. Mr.Yorkewasinnomildmood,andinnomeasuredtermsdidheexpresshisopiniononthetransactionofthenight.Moore,themagistrates,thesoldiers,themobleaders,eachandallcameinforashareofhisinvectivesbuthereservedhisstrongestepithets—andrealracyYorkshireDoricadjectivestheywere—forthebenefitofthefightingparsons,the"sanguinary,demoniac"rectorandcurate.Accordingtohim,thecupofecclesiasticalguiltwasnowfullindeed. "Thechurch,"hesaid,"wasinabonnypicklenow.Itwastimeitcamedownwhenparsonstooktoswaggeringamangsoldiers,blazingawaywi'bulletandgunpowder,takingthelivesoffarhonestermenthanthemselves." "WhatwouldMoorehavedoneifnobodyhadhelpedhim?"askedShirley. "Drunkashe'dbrewed,eatenashe'dbaked." "Whichmeansyouwouldhavelefthimbyhimselftofacethatmob.Good!Hehasplentyofcourage,butthegreatestamountofgallantrythatevergarrisonedonehumanbreastcouldscarceavailagainsttwohundred." "Hehadthesoldiers,thosepoorslaveswhohireouttheirownbloodandspillotherfolk'sformoney." "Youabusesoldiersalmostasmuchasyouabuseclergymen.Allwhowearredcoatsarenationalrefuseinyoureyes,andallwhowearblackarenationalswindlers.Mr.Moore,accordingtoyou,didwrongtogetmilitaryaid,andhedidstillworsetoacceptofanyotheraid.Yourwayoftalkingamountstothis:heshouldhaveabandonedhismillandhislifetotherageofasetofmisguidedmadmen,andMr.Helstoneandeveryothergentlemanintheparishshouldhavelookedon,andseenthebuildingrazedanditsownerslaughtered,andneverstirredafingertosaveeither." "IfMoorehadbehavedtohismenfromthebeginningasamasteroughttobehave,theyneverwouldhaveentertainedtheirpresentfeelingstowardshim." "Easyforyoutotalk,"exclaimedMissKeeldar,whowasbeginningtowaxwarminhertenant'scause—"you,whosefamilyhavelivedatBriarmainsforsixgenerations,towhosepersonthepeoplehavebeenaccustomedforfiftyyears,whoknowalltheirways,prejudices,andpreferences—easy,indeed,foryoutoactsoastoavoidoffendingthem.ButMr.Moorecameastrangerintothedistricthecameherepoorandfriendless,withnothingbuthisownenergiestobackhim,nothingbuthishonour,histalent,andhisindustrytomakehiswayforhim.Amonstrouscrimeindeedthat,undersuchcircumstances,hecouldnotpopularizehisnaturallygrave,quietmannersallatoncecouldnotbejocular,andfree,andcordialwithastrangepeasantry,asyouarewithyourfellow-townsm