CHAPTER XXVI. OLD COPY-BOOKS.

nected,yetaparteverattendant,everdistant.Eachmemberofthatcorrectfamilytreatedhimwithproperdignity.Thefatherwasausterelycivil,sometimesirritablethemother,beingakindwoman,wasattentive,butformalthedaughterssawinhimanabstraction,notaman.Itseemed,bytheirmanner,thattheirbrother'stutordidnotliveforthem.Theywerelearnedsowashe—butnotforthem.Theywereaccomplishedhehadtalentstoo,imperceptibletotheirsenses.Themostspiritedsketchfromhisfingerswasablanktotheireyesthemostoriginalobservationfromhislipsfellunheardontheirears.Nothingcouldexceedtheproprietyoftheirbehaviour. IshouldhavesaidnothingcouldhaveequalleditbutIrememberafactwhichstrangelyastonishedCarolineHelstone.Itwas—todiscoverthathercousinhadabsolutelynosympathizingfriendatFieldheadthattoMissKeeldarhewasasmuchamereteacher,aslittleagentleman,aslittleaman,astotheestimableMissesSympson. Whathadbefallenthekind-heartedShirleythatsheshouldbesoindifferenttothedrearypositionofafellow-creaturethusisolatedunderherroof?Shewasnot,perhaps,haughtytohim,butshenevernoticedhim—shelethimalone.Hecameandwent,spokeorwassilent,andsherarelyrecognizedhisexistence. AstoLouisMoorehimself,hehadtheairofamanusedtothislife,andwhohadmadeuphismindtobearitforatime.Hisfacultiesseemedwalledupinhim,andwereunmurmuringintheircaptivity.Heneverlaughedheseldomsmiledhewasuncomplaining.Hefulfilledtheroundofhisdutiesscrupulously.Hispupillovedhimheaskednothingmorethancivilityfromtherestoftheworld.Itevenappearedthathewouldacceptnothingmore—inthatabodeatleastforwhenhiscousinCarolinemadegentleoverturesoffriendship,hedidnotencouragethem—heratheravoidedthansoughther.Onelivingthingalone,besideshispale,crippledscholar,hefondledinthehouse,andthatwastheruffianlyTartar,who,sullenandimpracticabletoothers,acquiredasingularpartialityforhim—apartialitysomarkedthatsometimes,whenMoore,summonedtoameal,enteredtheroomandsatdownunwelcomed,TartarwouldrisefromhislairatShirley'sfeetandbetakehimselftothetaciturntutor.Once—butonce—shenoticedthedesertion,andholdingoutherwhitehand,andspeakingsoftly,triedtocoaxhimback.Tartarlooked,slavered,andsighed,ashismannerwas,butyetdisregardedtheinvitation,andcoollysettledhimselfonhishaunchesatLouisMoore'sside.Thatgentlemandrewthedog'sbig,black-muzzledheadontohisknee,pattedhim,andsmiledonelittlesmiletohimself. Anacuteobservermighthaveremarked,inthecourseofthesameevening,thatafterTartarhadresumedhisallegiancetoShirley,andwasoncemorecouchednearherfootstool,theaudacioustutorbyonewordandgesturefascinatedhimagain.Heprickeduphisearsatthewordhestartederectatthegesture,andcame,withheadlovinglydepressed,toreceivetheexpectedcaress.Asitwasgiven,thesignificantsmileagainrippledacrossMoore'squietface. "Shirley,"saidCarolineoneday,astheytwoweresittingaloneinthesummer-house,"didyouknowthatmycousinLouiswastutorinyouruncle'sfamilybeforetheSympsonscamedownhere?" Shirley'sreplywasnotsopromptasherresponsesusuallywere,butatlastsheanswered,"Yes—ofcourseIknewitwell." "Ithoughtyoumusthavebeenawareofthecircumstance." "Well!whatthen?" "Itpuzzlesmetoguesshowitchancedthatyounevermentionedittome." "Whyshoulditpuzzleyou?" "Itseemsodd.Icannotaccountforit.Youtalkagreatdeal—youtalkfreely.Howwasthatcircumstancenevertouchedon?" "Becauseitneverwas,"andShirleylaughed. "Youareasingularbeing!"observedherfriend."IthoughtIknewyouquitewellIbegintofindmyselfmistaken.YouweresilentasthegraveaboutMrs.Pryor,andnowagainhereisanothersecret.Butwhyyoumadeitasecretisthemysterytome." "InevermadeitasecretIhadnoreasonforsodoing.IfyouhadaskedmewhoHenry'stutorwas,Iwouldhavetoldyou.Besides,Ithoughtyouknew." "Iampuzzledaboutmorethingsthanoneinthismatter.Youdon'tlikepoorLouis.Why?Areyouimpatientatwhatyouperhapsconsiderhisservileposition?DoyouwishthatRobert'sbrotherweremorehighlyplaced?" "Robert'sbrother,indeed!"wastheexclamation,utteredinatoneliketheaccentsofscornandwithamovementofproudimpatienceShirleysnatchedarosefromabranchpeepingthroughtheopenlattice. "Yes,"repeatedCaroline,withmildfirmness,"Robert'sbrother.HeisthuscloselyrelatedtoGérardMooreoftheHollow,thoughnaturehasnotgivenhimfeaturessohandsomeoranairsonobleashiskinsmanbuthisbloodisasgood,andheisasmuchagentlemanwerehefree." "Wise,humble,piousCaroline!"exclaimedShirleyironically."Menandangels,hearher!Weshouldnotdespiseplainfeatures,noralaboriousyethonestoccupation,shouldwe?Lookatthesubjectofyourpanegyric.Heisthereinthegarden,"shecontinued,pointingthroughanapertureintheclusteringcreepersandbythatapertureLouisMoorewasvisible,comingslowlydownthewalk. "Heisnotugly,Shirley,"pleadedCaroline"heisnotignoble.Heissadsilencesealshismind.ButIbelievehimtobeintelligentandbecertain,ifhehadnotsomethingverycommendableinhisdisposition,Mr.Hallwouldneverseekhissocietyashedoes." Shirleylaughedshelaughedagain,eachtimewithaslightlysarcasticsound."Well,well,"washercomment."OnthepleaofthemanbeingCyrilHall'sfriendandRobertMoore'sbrother,we'lljusttoleratehisexistencewon'twe,Cary?Youbelievehimtobeintelligent,doyou?Notquiteanidiot—eh?Somethingcommendableinhisdisposition!—idest,notanabsoluteruffian.Good!Yourrepresentationshaveweightwithmeandtoprovethattheyhave,shouldhecomethiswayIwillspeaktohim." Heapproachedthesummer-house.Unconsciousthatitwastenanted,hesatdownonthestep.Tartar,nowhiscustomarycompanion,hadfollowedhim,andhecouchedacrosshisfeet. "Oldboy!"saidLouis,pullinghistawnyear,orratherthemutilatedremainsofthatorgan,tornandchewedinahundredbattles,"theautumnsunshinesaspleasantlyonusasonthefairestandrichest.Thisgardenisnoneofours,butweenjoyitsgreennessandperfume,don'twe?" Hesatsilent,stillcaressingTartar,whoslobberedwithexceedingaffection.Afainttwitteringcommencedamongthetreesround.Somethingfluttereddownaslightasleaves.Theywerelittlebirds,which,lightingontheswardatshydistance,hoppedasifexpectant. "ThesmallbrownelvesactuallyrememberthatIfedthemtheotherday,"againsoliloquizedLouis."Theywantsomemorebiscuit.To-dayIforgottosaveafragment.Eagerlittlesprites,Ihavenotacrumbforyou." Heputhishandinhispocketanddrewitoutempty. "Awanteasilysupplied,"whisperedthelisteningMissKeeldar. Shet