CHAPTER XXIII. AN EVENING OUT.

cs.Jessiewasaccustomedathometodrinkinagreatdealofwhatherfathersaidonthesesubjects,andafterwardsincompanytoretail,withmorewitandfluencythanconsistencyordiscretion,hisopinions,antipathies,andpreferences.SheratedCarolinesoundlyforbeingamemberoftheEstablishedChurch,andforhavinganuncleaclergyman.Sheinformedherthatshelivedonthecountry,andoughttoworkforherlivinghonestly,insteadofpassingauselesslife,andeatingthebreadofidlenessintheshapeoftithes.ThenceJessiepassedtoareviewoftheministryatthattimeinoffice,andaconsiderationofitsdeserts.ShemadefamiliarmentionofthenamesofLordCastlereaghandMr.Perceval.EachofthesepersonagessheadornedwithacharacterthatmighthaveseparatelysuitedMolochandBelial.Shedenouncedthewaraswholesalemurder,andLordWellingtonasa"hiredbutcher." Herauditresslistenedwithexceedingedification.Jessiehadsomethingofthegeniusofhumourinhernature.Itwasinexpressiblycomictohearherrepeatinghersire'sdenunciationsinhisnervousnorthernDoricasheartyalittleJacobinaseverpentafreemutinousspiritinamuslinfrockandsash.Notmalignantbynature,herlanguagewasnotsobitterasitwasracy,andtheexpressivelittlefacegaveapiquancytoeveryphrasewhichheldabeholder'sinterestcaptive. CarolinechidherwhensheabusedLordWellingtonbutshelisteneddelightedtoasubsequenttiradeagainstthePrinceRegent.Jessiequicklyread,inthesparkleofherhearer'seyeandthelaughterhoveringroundherlips,thatatlastshehadhitonatopicthatpleased.Manyatimehadsheheardthefat"Adonisoffifty"discussedatherfather'sbreakfast-table,andshenowgaveMr.Yorke'scommentsonthetheme—genuineasutteredbyhisYorkshirelips. But,Jessie,Iwillwriteaboutyounomore.Thisisanautumnevening,wetandwild.Thereisonlyonecloudinthesky,butitcurtainsitfrompoletopole.Thewindcannotrestithurriessobbingoverhillsofsullenoutline,colourlesswithtwilightandmist.Rainhasbeatalldayonthatchurchtower.Itrisesdarkfromthestonyenclosureofitsgraveyard.Thenettles,thelonggrass,andthetombsalldripwithwet.Thiseveningremindsmetooforciblyofanothereveningsomeyearsago—ahowling,rainyautumneveningtoo—whencertainwhohadthatdayperformedapilgrimagetoagravenew-madeinahereticcemeterysatnearawoodfireonthehearthofaforeigndwelling.Theyweremerryandsocial,buttheyeachknewthatagap,nevertobefilled,hadbeenmadeintheircircle.Theyknewtheyhadlostsomethingwhoseabsencecouldneverbequiteatonedforsolongastheylivedandtheyknewthatheavyfallingrainwassoakingintothewetearthwhichcoveredtheirlostdarling,andthatthesad,sighinggalewasmourningaboveherburiedhead.ThefirewarmedthemlifeandfriendshipyetblessedthembutJessielaycold,coffined,solitary—onlythesodscreeningherfromthestorm. Mrs.Yorkefoldedupherknitting,cutshortthemusiclessonandthelectureonpolitics,andconcludedhervisittothecottage,atanhourearlyenoughtoensureherreturntoBriarmainsbeforetheblushofsunsetshouldquitehavefadedinheaven,orthepathupthefieldshavebecomethoroughlymoistwitheveningdew. Theladyandherdaughtersbeinggone,Carolinefeltthatshealsooughttoresumeherscarf,kisshercousin'scheek,andtripawayhomeward.Ifshelingeredmuchlaterduskwoulddrawon,andFannywouldbeputtothetroubleofcomingtofetchher.Itwasbothbakingandironingdayattherectory,sheremembered—Fannywouldbebusy.Still,shecouldnotquitherseatatthelittleparlourwindow.Fromnopointofviewcouldthewestlooksolovelyasfromthatlatticewiththegarlandofjessamineroundit,whosewhitestarsandgreenleavesseemednowbutgraypenciloutlines—gracefulinform,butcolourlessintint—againstthegoldincarnadinedofasummerevening—againstthefire-tingedblueofanAugustskyateighto'clockp.m. Carolinelookedatthewicket-gate,besidewhichholly-oaksspireduptall.Shelookedattheclosehedgeofprivetandlaurelfencinginthegardenhereyeslongedtoseesomethingmorethantheshrubsbeforetheyturnedfromthatlimitedprospect.Theylongedtoseeahumanfigure,ofacertainmouldandheight,passthehedgeandenterthegate.Ahumanfiguresheatlastsaw—nay,two.FrederickMurgatroydwentby,carryingapailofwaterJoeScottfollowed,danglingonhisforefingerthekeysofthemill.Theyweregoingtolockupmillandstablesforthenight,andthenbetakethemselveshome. "SomustI,"thoughtCaroline,asshehalfroseandsighed. "Thisisallfolly—heart-breakingfolly,"sheadded."Inthefirstplace,thoughIshouldstaytilldarktherewillbenoarrivalbecauseIfeelinmyheart,Fatehaswrittenitdowninto-day'spageofhereternalbook,thatIamnottohavethepleasureIlongfor.Inthesecondplace,ifhesteppedinthismoment,mypresenceherewouldbeachagrintohim,andtheconsciousnessthatitmustbesowouldturnhalfmybloodtoice.Hishandwould,perhaps,belooseandchillifIputmineintoithiseyewouldbecloudedifIsoughtitsbeam.Ishouldlookupforthatkindling,somethingIhaveseeninpastdays,whenmyface,ormylanguage,ormydispositionhadatsomehappymomentpleasedhimIshoulddiscoveronlydarkness.Ihadbettergohome." Shetookherbonnetfromthetablewhereitlay,andwasjustfasteningtheribbon,whenHortense,directingherattentiontoasplendidbouquetofflowersinaglassonthesametable,mentionedthatMissKeeldarhadsentthemthatmorningfromFieldheadandwentontocommentonthegueststhatladywasatpresententertaining,onthebustlinglifeshehadlatelybeenleadingaddingdiversconjecturesthatshedidnotverywelllikeit,andmuchwondermentthatapersonwhowassofondofherownwayastheheiressdidnotfindsomemeansofsoonergettingridofthiscortégeofrelatives. "ButtheysaysheactuallywillnotletMr.Sympsonandhisfamilygo,"sheadded."Theywantedmuchtoreturntothesouthlastweek,tobereadyforthereceptionoftheonlyson,whoisexpectedhomefromatour.SheinsiststhathercousinHenryshallcomeandjoinhisfriendshereinYorkshire.IdaresayshepartlydoesittoobligeRobertandmyself." "HowtoobligeRobertandyou?"inquiredCaroline. "Why,mychild,youaredull.Don'tyouknow—youmustoftenhaveheard——" "Please,ma'am,"saidSarah,openingthedoor,"thepreservesthatyoutoldmetoboilintreacle—thecongfiters,asyoucallthem—isallburnttothepan." "Lesconfitures!Ellessontbr?lées?Ah,quellenégligencecoupable!Coquinedecuisinière,filleinsupportable!" Andmademoiselle,hastilytakingfromadraweralargelinenapron,andtyingitoverherblackapron,rushedéperdueintothekitchen,whence,tospeaktruth,exhaledanodourofcalcinedsweetsratherstrongthansavoury. Themistressandmaidhadbeeninfullfeudthewholeday,onthesubjectofpreservingcertainblackcherries,hardasmarbles,sourassloes.Sarahheldthatsugarwastheonlyorthodoxcondimenttobeusedinthatprocessmademoisellemaintained—andproveditbythepracticeandexperienceofhermother,grandmother,andgreat-grandmother—thattreacle,"mélasse,"wasinfinitelypreferable.ShehadcommittedanimprudenceinleavingSarahinchargeofthepreserving-pan,forherwantofsympathyinthenatureofitscontentshadinducedadegreeofcarelessnessinwatchingtheirconfection,whereoftheresultwas—darkandcinderyruin.Hubbubfollowedhighupbraiding,andsobsratherloudthandeeporreal. Caroline,oncemoreturningtothelittlemirror,wasshadingherringletsfromhercheektosmooththemunderhercottagebonnet,certainthatitwouldnotonlybeuselessbutunpleasanttostaylonger,when,onthesuddenopeningoftheback-door,therefellanabruptcalminthekitchen.Thetongueswerechecked,pulledupaswithbitandbridle."Wasit—wasit—Robert?"Heoften—almostalways—enteredbythekitchenwayonhisreturnfrommarket.NoitwasonlyJoeSco