CHAPTER XXVI. OLD COPY-BOOKS.

ookfromherreticuleamorselofsweet-cakeforthatrepositorywasneverdestituteofsomethingavailabletothrowtothechickens,youngducks,orsparrows.Shecrumbledit,andbendingoverhisshoulder,putthecrumbsintohishand. "There,"saidshe—"thereisaprovidencefortheimprovident." "ThisSeptemberafternoonispleasant,"observedLouisMoore,as,notatalldiscomposed,hecalmlycastthecrumbsontothegrass. "Evenforyou?" "Aspleasantformeasforanymonarch." "Youtakeasortofharsh,solitarytriumphindrawingpleasureoutoftheelementsandtheinanimateandloweranimatecreation." "Solitary,butnotharsh.WithanimalsIfeelIamAdam'sson,theheirofhimtowhomdominionwasgivenover'everylivingthingthatmovethupontheearth.'Yourdoglikesandfollowsme.WhenIgointothatyard,thepigeonsfromyourdovecotflutteratmyfeet.Yourmareinthestableknowsmeaswellasitknowsyou,andobeysmebetter." "Andmyrosessmellsweettoyou,andmytreesgiveyoushade." "And,"continuedLouis,"nocapricecanwithdrawthesepleasuresfrommetheyaremine." Hewalkedoff.Tartarfollowedhim,asifindutyandaffectionbound,andShirleyremainedstandingonthesummer-housestep.Carolinesawherfaceasshelookedaftertherudetutor.Itwaspale,asifherpridebledinwardly. "Yousee,"remarkedCarolineapologetically,"hisfeelingsaresooftenhurtitmakeshimmorose." "Yousee,"retortedShirley,withire,"heisatopiconwhichyouandIshallquarrelifwediscussitoftensodropithenceforwardandforever." "Isupposehehasmorethanoncebehavedinthisway,"thoughtCarolinetoherself,"andthatrendersShirleysodistanttohim.YetIwondershecannotmakeallowanceforcharacterandcircumstances.Iwonderthegeneralmodesty,manliness,sincerityofhisnaturedonotpleadwithherinhisbehalf.Sheisnotoftensoinconsiderate,soirritable." TheverbaltestimonyoftwofriendsofCaroline'stohercousin'scharacteraugmentedherfavourableopinionofhim.WilliamFarren,whosecottagehehadvisitedincompanywithMr.Hall,pronouncedhima"realgentleman"therewasnotsuchanotherinBriarfield.He—William—"coulddoaughtforthatman.Andthentoseehowt'bairnslikedhim,andhowt'wifetooktohimfirstminuteshesawhim.Heneverwentintoahousebutt'childerworabouthimdirectly.Themlittlethingsworlikeasifthey'dakeenersensenorgrown-upfolksi'findingourfolk'snatures." Mr.Hall,inanswertoaquestionofMissHelstone'sastowhathethoughtofLouisMoore,repliedpromptlythathewasthebestfellowhehadmetwithsinceheleftCambridge. "Butheissograve,"objectedCaroline. "Grave!thefinestcompanyintheworld!Fullofodd,quiet,out-of-the-wayhumour.NeverenjoyedanexcursionsomuchinmylifeastheoneItookwithhimtotheLakes.Hisunderstandingandtastesaresosuperior,itdoesamangoodtobewithintheirinfluenceandastohistemperandnature,Icallthemfine." "AtFieldheadhelooksgloomy,and,Ibelieve,hasthecharacterofbeingmisanthropical." "Oh!Ifancyheisratheroutofplacethere—inafalseposition.TheSympsonsaremostestimablepeople,butnotthefolkstocomprehendhim.Theythinkagreatdealaboutformandceremony,whicharequiteoutofLouis'sway." "Idon'tthinkMissKeeldarlikeshim." "Shedoesn'tknowhim—shedoesn'tknowhimotherwiseshehassenseenoughtodojusticetohismerits." "Well,Isupposeshedoesn'tknowhim,"musedCarolinetoherself,andbythishypothesissheendeavouredtoaccountforwhatseemedelseunaccountable.Butsuchsimplesolutionofthedifficultywasnotleftherlong.ShewasobligedtorefuseMissKeeldareventhisnegativeexcuseforherprejudice. OnedayshechancedtobeintheschoolroomwithHenrySympson,whoseamiableandaffectionatedispositionhadquicklyrecommendedhimtoherregard.Theboywasbusiedaboutsomemechanicalcontrivancehislamenessmadehimfondofsedentaryoccupation.Hebegantoransackhistutor'sdeskforapieceofwaxortwinenecessarytohiswork.Moorehappenedtobeabsent.Mr.Hall,indeed,hadcalledforhimtotakealongwalk.Henrycouldnotimmediatelyfindtheobjectofhissearch.Herummagedcompartmentaftercompartmentandatlast,openinganinnerdrawer,hecameupon—notaballofcordoralumpofbeeswax,butalittlebundleofsmallmarble-colouredcahiers,tiedwithtape.Henrylookedatthem."WhatrubbishMr.Moorestoresupinhisdesk!"hesaid."Ihopehewon'tkeepmyoldexercisessocarefully." "Whatisit?" "Oldcopy-books." HethrewthebundletoCaroline.Thepacketlookedsoneatexternallyhercuriositywasexcitedtoseeitscontents. "Iftheyareonlycopy-books,IsupposeImayopenthem?" "Ohyes,quitefreely.Mr.Moore'sdeskishalfmine—forheletsmekeepallsortsofthingsinit—andIgiveyouleave." OnscrutinytheyprovedtobeFrenchcompositions,writteninahandpeculiarbutcompact,andexquisitelycleanandclear.Thewritingwasrecognizable.Shescarcelyneededthefurtherevidenceofthenamesignedatthecloseofeachthemetotellherwhosetheywere.Yetthatnameastonishedher—"ShirleyKeeldar,SympsonGrove,——shire"(asoutherncounty),andadatefouryearsback. Shetiedupthepacket,andhelditinherhand,meditatingoverit.Shehalffeltasif,inopeningit,shehadviolatedaconfidence. "TheyareShirley's,yousee,"saidHenrycarelessly. "DidyougivethemtoMr.Moore?ShewrotethemwithMrs.Pryor,Isuppose?" "ShewrotetheminmyschoolroomatSympsonGrove,whenshelivedwithusthere.Mr.MooretaughtherFrenchitishisnativelanguage." "Iknow.Wassheagoodpupil,Henry?" "Shewasawild,laughingthing,butpleasanttohaveintheroom.Shemadelesson-timecharming.Shelearnedfast—youcouldhardlytellwhenorhow.Frenchwasnothingtoher.Shespokeitquick,quick—asquickasMr.Moorehimself." "Wassheobedient?Didshegivetrouble?" "Shegaveplentyoftrouble,inaway.Shewasgiddy,butIlikedher.I'mdesperatelyfondofShirley." "Desperatelyfond—yousmallsimpleton!Youdon'tknowwhatyousay." "Iamdesperatelyfondofher.Sheisthelightofmyeyes.IsaidsotoMr.Moorelastnight." "Hewouldreproveyouforspeakingwithexaggeration." "Hedidn't.Heneverreprovesandreproves,asgirls'governessesdo.Hewasreading,andheonlysmiledintohisbook,andsaidthatifMissKeeldarwasnomorethanthat,shewaslessthanhetookhertobeforIwasbutadim-eyed,short-sightedlittlechap.I'mafraidIamapoorunfortunate,MissCarolineHelstone.Iamacripple,youknow." "Nevermind,Henry,youareaverynicelittlefellowandifGodhasnotgivenyouhealthandstrength,Hehasgivenyouagooddispositionandanexcellentheartandbrain." "Ishallbedespised.IsometimesthinkbothShirleyandyoudespiseme." "Listen,Henry.Generally,Idon'tlikeschoolboys.Ihaveagreathorrorofthem.Theyseemtomelittleruffians,whota