CHAPTER XXVII. THE FIRST BLUESTOCKING.

thegraymanor-houseofBriarfieldacramped,modestdwellingenoughcomparedwithhisown,buthelikedit. PresentlyitdidnotsufficetositwithShirleyinherpanelledparlour,whereotherscameandwent,andwherehecouldrarelyfindaquietmomenttoshowherthelatestproductionofhisfertilemusehemusthaveheroutamongstthepleasantpastures,andleadherbythestillwaters.Tête-à-têteramblingssheshunned,sohemadepartiesforhertohisowngrounds,hisgloriousforesttoremoterscenes—woodsseveredbytheWharfe,valeswateredbytheAire. SuchassiduitycoveredMissKeeldarwithdistinction.Heruncle'spropheticsoulanticipatedasplendidfuture.Healreadyscentedthetimeafaroffwhen,withnonchalantair,andleftfootnursedonhisrightknee,heshouldbeabletomakedashingly-familiarallusiontohis"nephewthebaronet."Nowhisniecedawneduponhimnolonger"amadgirl,"buta"mostsensiblewoman."Hetermedher,inconfidentialdialogueswithMrs.Sympson,"atrulysuperiorpersonpeculiar,butveryclever."Hetreatedherwithexceedingdeferencerosereverentlytoopenandshutdoorsforherreddenedhisfaceandgavehimselfheadacheswithstoopingtopickupgloves,handkerchiefs,andotherlooseproperty,whereofShirleyusuallyheldbutinsecuretenure.Hewouldcutmysteriousjokesaboutthesuperiorityofwoman'switoverman'swisdomcommenceobscureapologiesfortheblunderingmistakehehadcommittedrespectingthegeneralship,thetactics,of"apersonagenotahundredmilesfromFieldhead."Inshort,heseemedelateasany"midden-cockonpattens." Hisnieceviewedhisman?uvresandreceivedhisinnuendoeswithphlegmapparentlyshedidnotabovehalfcomprehendtowhataimtheytended.Whenplainlychargedwithbeingthepreferredofthebaronet,shesaidshebelievedhedidlikeher,andforherpartshelikedhim.Shehadneverthoughtamanofrank—theonlysonofaproud,fondmother,theonlybrotherofdotingsisters—couldhavesomuchgoodness,and,onthewhole,somuchsense. Timeproved,indeed,thatSirPhiliplikedher.Perhapshehadfoundinherthat"curiouscharm"noticedbyMr.Hall.Hesoughtherpresencemoreandmore,andatlastwithafrequencythatattestedithadbecometohimanindispensablestimulus.AboutthistimestrangefeelingshoveredroundFieldheadrestlesshopesandhaggardanxietieshauntedsomeofitsrooms.Therewasanunquietwanderingofsomeoftheinmatesamongthestillfieldsroundthemansiontherewasasenseofexpectancythatkeptthenervesstrained. Onethingseemedclear:SirPhilipwasnotamantobedespised.Hewasamiableifnothighlyintellectual,hewasintelligent.MissKeeldarcouldnotaffirmofhim,whatshehadsobitterlyaffirmedofSamWynne,thathisfeelingswereblunt,histastescoarse,andhismannersvulgar.Therewassensibilityinhisnaturetherewasaveryreal,ifnotaverydiscriminating,loveoftheartstherewastheEnglishgentlemaninallhisdeportment.Astohislineageandwealth,bothwere,ofcourse,farbeyondherclaims. Hisappearancehadatfirstelicitedsomelaughingthoughnotill-naturedremarksfromthemerryShirley.Itwasboyish.Hisfeatureswereplainandslight,hishairsandy,hisstatureinsignificant.Butshesooncheckedhersarcasmonthispointshewouldevenfireupifanyoneelsemadeuncomplimentaryallusionthereto.Hehad"apleasingcountenance,"sheaffirmed"andtherewasthatinhisheartwhichwasbetterthanthreeRomannoses,thanthelocksofAbsalomortheproportionsofSaul."Aspareandrareshaftshestillreservedforhisunfortunatepoeticpropensitybutevenhereshewouldtoleratenoironysaveherown. Inshort,mattershadreachedapointwhichseemedfullytowarrantanobservationmadeaboutthistimebyMr.Yorketothetutor,Louis. "Yond'brotherRobertofyoursseemstometobeeitherafooloramadman.TwomonthsagoIcouldhaveswornhehadthegameallinhisownhandsandthereherunsthecountry,andquartershimselfupinLondonforweekstogether,andbythetimehecomesbackhe'llfindhimselfcheckmated.Louis,'thereisatideintheaffairsofmen,which,takenattheflood,leadsontofortune,but,onceletslip,neverreturnsagain.'I'dwritetoRobert,ifIwereyou,andremindhimofthat." "RoberthadviewsonMissKeeldar?"inquiredLouis,asiftheideawasnewtohim. "ViewsIsuggestedtohimmyself,andviewshemighthaverealized,forshelikedhim." "Asaneighbour?" "Asmorethanthat.Ihaveseenherchangecountenanceandcolouratthemerementionofhisname.Writetothelad,Isay,andtellhimtocomehome.Heisafinergentlemanthanthisbitofabaronet,afterall." "Doesitnotstrikeyou,Mr.Yorke,thatforamerepennilessadventurertoaspiretoarichwoman'shandispresumptuous—contemptible?" "Oh,ifyouareforhighnotionsanddouble-refinedsentiment,I'venaughttosay.I'maplain,practicalmanmyself,andifRobertiswillingtogiveupthatroyalprizetoalad-rival—apulingslipofaristocracy—Iamquiteagreeable.Athisage,inhisplace,withhisinducements,Iwouldhaveacteddifferently.Neitherbaronet,norduke,norprinceshouldhavesnatchedmysweetheartfrommewithoutastruggle.Butyoututorsaresuchsolemnchapsitisalmostlikespeakingtoaparsontoconsultwithyou." FlatteredandfawneduponasShirleywasjustnow,itappearedshewasnotabsolutelyspoiled—thatherbetternaturedidnotquiteleaveher.UniversalreporthadindeedceasedtocouplehernamewiththatofMoore,andthissilenceseemedsanctionedbyherownapparentoblivionoftheabsenteebutthatshehadnotquiteforgottenhim—thatshestillregardedhim,ifnotwithlove,yetwithinterest—seemedprovedbytheincreasedattentionwhichatthisjunctureofaffairsasuddenattackofillnessinducedhertoshowthattutor-brotherofRobert's,towhomshehabituallyboreherselfwithstrangealternationsofcoolreserveanddocilerespect—nowsweepingpasthiminallthedignityofthemoneyedheiressandprospectiveLadyNunnely,andanonaccostinghimasabashedschool-girlsarewonttoaccosttheirsternprofessorsbridlingherneckofivoryandcurlingherlipofcarmine,ifheencounteredherglance,oneminute,andthenextsubmittingtothegraverebukeofhiseyewithasmuchcontritionasifhehadthepowertoinflictpenaltiesincaseofcontumacy. LouisMoorehadperhapscaughtthefever,whichforafewdayslaidhimlow,inoneofthepoorcottagesofthedistrict,whichhe,hislamepupil,andMr.Hallwereinthehabitofvisitingtogether.Atanyratehesickened,andafteropposingtothemaladyataciturnresistanceforadayortwo,wasobligedtokeephischamber. Helaytossingonhisthornybedoneevening,Henry,whowouldnotquithim,watchingfaithfullybesidehim,whenatap—toolighttobethatofMrs.Gillorthehousemaid—summonedyoungSympsontothedoor. "HowisMr.Mooreto-night?"askedalowvoicefromthedarkgallery. "Comeinandseehimyourself." "Isheasleep?" "Iwishhecouldsleep.Comeandspeaktohim,Shirley." "Hewouldnotlikeit." Butthespeakersteppedin,andHenry,seeingherhesitateonthethreshold,tookherhandanddrewhertothecouch. TheshadedlightshowedMissKeeldar'sformbutimperfectlyyetitrevealedherinelegantattire.Therewasapartyassembledbelow,includingSirPhilipNunnelytheladieswerenowinthedrawing-room,andtheirhostesshadstolenfromthemtovisitHenry'stutor.Herpurewhitedress,herfairarmsandneck,thetremblingchainletofgoldcirclingherthroatandquiveringonherbreast,glistenedstrangelyamidtheobscurityofthesickroom.Hermienwaschastenedandpensive.Shespokegently. "Mr.Moore,howareyouto-night?" "Ihavenotbeenveryill,andamnowbetter." "Iheardthatyoucomplainedofthirst.Ihavebroughtyousomegrapescanyoutasteone?" "NobutIthankyouforrememberingme." "Justone." Fromtherichclusterthatfilledasmallbasketheldinherhandsheseveredaberryandofferedittohislips.Heshookhishead,andturnedasidehisflushedface. "Butwhat,then,canIbringyouinstead?YouhavenowishforfruityetIseethatyourlipsareparched.Whatbeveragedoyouprefer?" "Mrs.Gillsuppliesmewithtoast-and-water.Ilikeitbest." Silencefellforsomeminutes. "Doyousuffer?—haveyoupain?" "Verylittle." "Whatmadeyouill?" Silence. "Iwonderwhatcausedthisfever?Towhatdoyouattributeit?" "Miasma,perhaps—malaria.Thisisautumn,aseasonfertileinfevers." "IhearyouoftenvisitthesickinBriarfield,andNunnelytoo,withMr.Hall.Youshouldbeonyourguardtemerityisnotwise." "Thatremindsme,MissKeeldar,thatperhapsyouhadbetternotenterthischamberorcomenearthiscouch.Idonotbelievemyillnessisinfectious.Iscarcelyfear"—withasortofsmile—"youwilltakeitbutwhyshouldyouruneventheshadowofarisk?Leaveme." "Patience,IwillgosoonbutIshouldliketodosomethingforyoubeforeIdepart—anylittleservice——" "Theywillmissyoubelow." "Nothegentl