CHAPTER XXVII. THE FIRST BLUESTOCKING.

MissKeeldarandherunclehadcharactersthatwouldnotharmonize,thatneverhadharmonized.Hewasirritable,andshewasspirited.Hewasdespotic,andshelikedfreedom.Hewasworldly,andshe,perhaps,romantic. NotwithoutpurposehadhecomedowntoYorkshire.Hismissionwasclear,andheintendedtodischargeitconscientiously.Heanxiouslydesiredtohavehisniecemarried,tomakeforherasuitablematch,giveherinchargetoaproperhusband,andwashhishandsofherforever. Themisfortunewas,frominfancyupwards,Shirleyandhehaddisagreedonthemeaningofthewords"suitable"and"proper."Sheneveryethadacceptedhisdefinitionanditwasdoubtfulwhether,inthemostimportantstepofherlife,shewouldconsenttoacceptit. Thetrialsooncame. Mr.Wynneproposedinformforhisson,SamuelFawthropWynne. "Decidedlysuitable!mostproper!"pronouncedMr.Sympson."Afineunencumberedestate,realsubstance,goodconnections.Itmustbedone!" Hesentforhisniecetotheoakparlourheshuthimselfuptherewithheralonehecommunicatedtheofferhegavehisopinionheclaimedherconsent. Itwaswithheld. "NoIshallnotmarrySamuelFawthropWynne." "Iaskwhy.Imusthaveareason.Inallrespectsheismorethanworthyofyou." Shestoodonthehearth.Shewaspaleasthewhitemarbleslabandcornicebehindherhereyesflashedlarge,dilated,unsmiling. "AndIaskinwhatsensethatyoungmanisworthyofme?" "Hehastwiceyourmoney,twiceyourcommonsense,equalconnections,equalrespectability." "HadhemymoneycountedfivescoretimesIwouldtakenovowtolovehim." "Pleasetostateyourobjections." "Hehasrunacourseofdespicable,commonplaceprofligacy.AcceptthatasthefirstreasonwhyIspurnhim." "MissKeeldar,youshockme!" "Thatconductalonesinkshiminagulfofimmeasurableinferiority.HisintellectreachesnostandardIcanesteem:thereisasecondstumbling-block.Hisviewsarenarrow,hisfeelingsareblunt,histastesarecoarse,hismannersvulgar." "Themanisarespectable,wealthyman!Torefusehimispresumptiononyourpart." "Irefusepoint-blank!CeasetoannoymewiththesubjectIforbidit!" "Isityourintentionevertomarryordoyouprefercelibacy?" "Idenyyourrighttoclaimananswertothatquestion." "MayIaskifyouexpectsomemanoftitle—somepeeroftherealm—todemandyourhand?" "IdoubtifthepeerbreathesonwhomIwouldconferit." "Werethereinsanityinthefamily,Ishouldbelieveyoumad.Youreccentricityandconceittouchthevergeoffrenzy." "Perhaps,ereIhavefinished,youwillseemeover-leapit." "Ianticipatenoless.Franticandimpracticablegirl!Takewarning!Idareyoutosullyournamebyamésalliance!" "Ourname!AmIcalledSympson?" "Godbethankedthatyouarenot!ButbeonyourguardIwillnotbetrifledwith!" "What,inthenameofcommonlawandcommonsense,wouldyouorcouldyoudoifmypleasureledmetoachoiceyoudisapproved?" "Takecare!takecare!"warningherwithvoiceandhandthattrembledalike. "Why?Whatshadowofpowerhaveyouoverme?WhyshouldIfearyou?" "Takecare,madam!" "ScrupulouscareIwilltake,Mr.Sympson.BeforeImarryIamresolvedtoesteem—toadmire—tolove." "Preposterousstuff!indecorous,unwomanly!" "Tolovewithmywholeheart.IknowIspeakinanunknowntonguebutIfeelindifferentwhetherIamcomprehendedornot." "Andifthisloveofyoursshouldfallonabeggar?" "Onabeggaritwillneverfall.Mendicancyisnotestimable." "Onalowclerk,aplay-actor,aplay-writer,or—or——" "Takecourage,Mr.Sympson!Orwhat?" "Anyliteraryscrub,orshabby,whiningartist." "Forthescrubby,shabby,whiningIhavenotasteforliteratureandtheartsIhave.AndthereIwonderhowyourFawthropWynnewouldsuitme.HecannotwriteanotewithoutorthographicalerrorshereadsonlyasportingpaperhewastheboobyofStilbro'grammarschool!" "Unladylikelanguage!GreatGod!towhatwillshecome?"Heliftedhandsandeyes. "NevertothealtarofHymenwithSamWynne." "Towhatwillshecome?Whyarenotthelawsmorestringent,thatImightcompelhertohearreason?" "Consoleyourself,uncle.WereBritainaserfdomandyoutheCzar,youcouldnotcompelmetothisstep.IwillwritetoMr.Wynne.Giveyourselfnofurthertroubleonthesubject." Fortuneisproverbiallycalledchangeful,yethercapriceoftentakestheformofrepeatingagainandagainasimilarstrokeofluckinthesamequarter.ItappearedthatMissKeeldar—orherfortune—hadbythistimemadeasensationinthedistrict,andproducedanimpressioninquartersbyherunthoughtof.NolessthanthreeoffersfollowedMr.Wynne's,allmoreorlesseligible.Allwereinsuccessionpressedonherbyheruncle,andallinsuccessionsherefused.Yetamongstthemwasmorethanonegentlemanofunexceptionablecharacteraswellasamplewealth.Manybesidesheruncleaskedwhatshemeant,andwhomsheexpectedtoentrap,thatshewassoinsolentlyfastidious. Atlastthegossipsthoughttheyhadfoundthekeytoherconduct,andherunclewassureofitandwhatismore,thediscoveryshowedhisniecetohiminquiteanewlight,andhechangedhiswholedeportmenttoheraccordingly. Fieldheadhadoflatebeenfastgrowingtoohottoholdthemboth.Thesuaveauntcouldnotreconcilethemthedaughtersfrozeattheviewoftheirquarrels.GertrudeandIsabellawhisperedbythehourtogetherintheirdressing-room,andbecamechilledwithdecorousdreadiftheychancedtobeleftalonewiththeiraudaciouscousin.But,asIhavesaid,achangesupervened.Mr.Sympsonwasappeasedandhisfamilytranquillized. ThevillageofNunnelyhasbeenalludedto—itsoldchurch,itsforest,itsmonasticruins.Ithadalsoitshall,calledthepriory—anolder,alarger,amorelordlyabodethananyBriarfieldorWhinburyownedandwhatismore,ithaditsmanoftitle—itsbaronet,whichneitherBriarfieldnorWhinburycouldboast.Thispossession—itsproudestandmostprized—hadforyearsbeennominalonly.Thepresentbaronet,ayoungmanhithertoresidentinadistantprovince,wasunknownonhisYorkshireestate. DuringMissKeeldar'sstayatthefashionablewatering-placeofCliffbridge,sheandherfriendshadmetwithandbeenintroducedtoSirPhilipNunnely.Theyencounteredhimagainandagainonthesands,thecliffs,inthevariouswalks,sometimesatthepublicballsoftheplace.Heseemedsolitary.Hismannerwasveryunpretending—toosimpletobetermedaffablerathertimidthanproud.Hedidnotcondescendtotheirsocietyheseemedgladofit. WithanyunaffectedindividualShirleycouldeasilyandquicklycementanacquaintance.ShewalkedandtalkedwithSirPhilipshe,heraunt,andcousinssometimestookasailinhisyacht.Shelikedhimbecauseshefoundhimkindandmodest,andwascharmedtofeelshehadthepowertoamusehim. Oneslightdrawbacktherewas—whereisthefriendshipwithoutit?—SirPhiliphadaliteraryturn.Hewrotepoetry—sonnets,stanzas,ballads.PerhapsMissKeeldarthoughthimalittletoofondofreadingandrecitingthesecompositionsperhapsshewishedtherhymehadpossessedmoreaccuracy,themeasuremoremusic,thetropesmorefreshness,theinspirationmorefire.Atanyrate,shealwayswincedwhenherecurredtothesubjectofhispoems,andusuallydidherbesttodiverttheconversationintoanotherchannel. Hewouldbeguilehertotakemoonlightwalkswithhimonthebridge,forthesolepurpose,asitseemed,ofpouringintoherearthelongestofhisballads.Hewouldleadherawaytosequesteredrusticseats,whencetherushofthesurftothesandswasheardsoftandsoothingandwhenhehadheralltohimself,andthesealaybeforethem,andthescentedshadeofgardensspreadround,andthetallshelterofcliffsrosebehindthem,hewouldpullouthislastbatchofsonnets,andreadtheminavoicetremulouswithemotion.Hedidnotseemtoknowthatthoughtheymightberhymetheywerenotpoetry.Itappeared,byShirley'sdowncasteyeanddisturbedface,thatsheknewit,andfeltheartilymortifiedbythesinglefoibleofthisgoodandamiablegentleman. Oftenshetried,asgentlyasmightbe,toweanhimfromthisfanaticworshipoftheMuses.Itwashismonomaniaonallordinarysubjectshewassensibleenough,andfainwasshetoengagehiminordinarytopics.HequestionedhersometimesabouthisplaceatNunnelyshewasbuttoohappytoanswerhisinterrogatoriesatlength.Sheneverweariedofdescribingtheantiquepriory,thewildsilvanpark,thehoarychurchandhamletnordidshefailtocounselhimtocomedownandgatherhistenantryabouthiminhisancestralhalls. Somewhattohersurprise,SirPhilipfollowedheradvicetotheletter,andactually,towardsthecloseofSeptember,arrivedatthepriory. HesoonmadeacallatFieldhead,andhisfirstvisitwasnothislast.Hesaid—whenhehadachievedtheroundoftheneighbourhood—thatundernoroofhadhefoundsuchpleasantshelterasbeneaththemassiveoakbeamsof