CHAPTER XXVIII. PH?BE.

twohoursthismorning.Isawhertalking,andyoulistening.Now,mydearHarry,ifMissKeeldarhassaidsheisill,andenjoinedyoutokeephersecret,donotobeyher.Forherlife'ssake,avoweverything.Speak,myboy." "Shesaysheisill!Ibelieve,sir,ifsheweredying,shewouldsmile,andaver,'Nothingailsme.'" "Whathaveyoulearnedthen?Whatnewcircumstance?" "Ihavelearnedthatshehasjustmadeherwill." "Madeherwill?" Thetutorandpupilweresilent. "Shetoldyouthat?"askedMoore,whensomeminuteshadelapsed. "Shetoldmequitecheerfully,notasanominouscircumstance,whichIfeltittobe.ShesaidIwastheonlypersonbesideshersolicitor,PearsonHall,andMr.HelstoneandMr.Yorke,whoknewanythingaboutitandtome,sheintimated,shewishedspeciallytoexplainitsprovisions." "Goon,Harry." "'Because,'shesaid,lookingdownonmewithherbeautifuleyes—oh!theyarebeautiful,Mr.Moore!Ilovethem!Iloveher!Sheismystar!Heavenmustnotclaimher!Sheislovelyinthisworld,andfittedforthisworld.Shirleyisnotanangelsheisawoman,andsheshalllivewithmen.Seraphsshallnothaveher!Mr.Moore,ifoneofthe'sonsofGod,'withwingswideandbrightasthesky,blueandsoundingasthesea,havingseenthatshewasfair,descendedtoclaimher,hisclaimshouldbewithstood—withstoodbyme—boyandcrippleasIam." "HenrySympson,goon,whenItellyou." "'Because,'shesaid,'ifImadenowill,anddiedbeforeyou,Harry,allmypropertywouldgotoyouandIdonotintendthatitshouldbeso,thoughyourfatherwouldlikeit.Butyou,'shesaid,'willhavehiswholeestate,whichislarge—largerthanFieldhead.YoursisterswillhavenothingsoIhaveleftthemsomemoney,thoughIdonotlovethem,bothtogether,halfsomuchasIloveonelockofyourfairhair.'Shesaidthesewords,andshecalledmeher'darling,'andletmekissher.ShewentontotellmethatshehadleftCarolineHelstonesomemoneytoothatthismanorhouse,withitsfurnitureandbooks,shehadbequeathedtome,asshedidnotchoosetotaketheoldfamilyplacefromherownbloodandthatalltherestofherproperty,amountingtoabouttwelvethousandpounds,exclusiveofthelegaciestomysistersandMissHelstone,shehadwilled,nottome,seeingIwasalreadyrich,buttoagoodman,whowouldmakethebestuseofitthatanyhumanbeingcoulddo—aman,shesaid,thatwasbothgentleandbrave,strongandmerciful—amanthatmightnotprofesstobepious,butsheknewhehadthesecretofreligionpureandundefiledbeforeGod.Thespiritofloveandpeacewaswithhim.Hevisitedthefatherlessandwidowsintheiraffliction,andkepthimselfunspottedfromtheworld.Thensheasked,'DoyouapprovewhatIhavedone,Harry?'Icouldnotanswer.Mytearschokedme,astheydonow." Mr.Mooreallowedhispupilamomenttocontendwithandmasterhisemotion.Hethendemanded,"Whatelsedidshesay?" "WhenIhadsignifiedmyfullconsenttotheconditionsofherwill,shetoldmeIwasagenerousboy,andshewasproudofme.'Andnow,'sheadded,'incaseanythingshouldhappen,youwillknowwhattosaytoMalicewhenshecomeswhisperinghardthingsinyourear,insinuatingthatShirleyhaswrongedyou,thatshedidnotloveyou.YouwillknowthatIdidloveyou,Harrythatnosistercouldhavelovedyoubetter—myowntreasure.'Mr.Moore,sir,whenIrememberhervoice,andrecallherlook,myheartbeatsasifitwouldbreakitsstrings.Shemaygotoheavenbeforeme—ifGodcommandsit,shemustbuttherestofmylife—andmylifewillnotbelong,Iamgladofthatnow—shallbeastraight,quick,thoughtfuljourneyinthepathherstephaspressed.IthoughttoenterthevaultoftheKeeldarsbeforeher.Shoulditbeotherwise,laymycoffinbyShirley'sside." Mooreansweredhimwithaweightycalm,thatofferedastrangecontrasttotheboy'sperturbedenthusiasm. "Youarewrong,bothofyou—youharmeachother.Ifyouthoncefallsundertheinfluenceofashadowyterror,itimaginestherewillneverbefullsunlightagainitsfirstcalamityitfancieswilllastalifetime.Whatmoredidshesay?Anythingmore?" "Wesettledoneortwofamilypointsbetweenourselves." "Ishouldratherliketoknowwhat——" "But,Mr.Moore,yousmile.IcouldnotsmiletoseeShirleyinsuchamood." "Myboy,Iamneithernervous,norpoetic,norinexperienced.Iseethingsastheyareyoudon'tasyet.Tellmethesefamilypoints." "Only,sir,sheaskedmewhetherIconsideredmyselfmostofaKeeldaroraSympsonandIansweredIwasKeeldartothecoreoftheheartandtothemarrowofthebones.Shesaidshewasgladofitfor,besidesher,IwastheonlyKeeldarleftinEngland.Andthenweagreedonsomematters." "Well?" "Well,sir,thatifIlivedtoinheritmyfather'sestate,andherhouse,IwastotakethenameofKeeldar,andtomakeFieldheadmyresidence.HenryShirleyKeeldarIsaidIwouldbecalledandIwill.Hernameandhermanorhouseareagesold,andSympsonandSympsonGroveareofyesterday." "Come,youareneitherofyougoingtoheavenyet.Ihavethebesthopesofyouboth,withyourprouddistinctions—apairofhalf-fledgedeaglets.Now,whatisyourinferencefromallyouhavetoldme?Putitintowords." "ThatShirleythinkssheisgoingtodie." "Shereferredtoherhealth?" "NotoncebutIassureyousheiswasting.Herhandsaregrownquitethin,andsoishercheek." "Doessheevercomplaintoyourmotherorsisters?" "Never.Shelaughsatthemwhentheyquestionher.Mr.Moore,sheisastrangebeing,sofairandgirlish—notaman-likewomanatall,notanAmazon,andyetliftingherheadabovebothhelpandsympathy." "Doyouknowwheresheisnow,Henry?Issheinthehouse,orridingout?" "Surelynotout,sir.Itrainsfast." "Truewhich,however,isnoguaranteethatsheisnotatthismomentcanteringoverRushedge.Oflateshehasneverpermittedweathertobeahindrancetoherrides." "Youremember,Mr.Moore,howwetandstormyitwaslastWednesday—sowild,indeed,thatshewouldnotpermitZo?tobesaddled?YettheblastshethoughttootempestuousforhermaresheherselffacedonfootthatafternoonshewalkednearlyasfarasNunnely.Iaskedher,whenshecamein,ifshewasnotafraidoftakingcold.'NotI,'shesaid.'Itwouldbetoomuchgoodluckforme.Idon'tknow,Harry,butthebestthingthatcouldhappentomewouldbetotakeagoodcoldandfever,andsopassofflikeotherChristians.'Sheisreckless,yousee,sir." "Recklessindeed!Goandfindoutwheresheis,andifyoucangetanopportunityofspeakingtoherwithoutattractingattention,requesthertocomehereaminute." "Yes,sir." Hesnatchedhiscrutch,andstarteduptogo. "Harry!" Hereturned. "Donotdeliverthemessageformally.Worditas,informerdays,youwouldhavewordedanordinarysummonstotheschoolroom." "Isee,sir.Shewillbemorelikelytoobey." "And,Harry——" "Sir?" "IwillcallyouwhenIwantyou.Tillthen,youaredispensedfromlessons." Hedeparted.Mr.Moore,leftalone,rosefromhisdesk. "IcanbeverycoolandverysuperciliouswithHenry,"hesaid."Icanseemtomakelightofhisapprehensions,andlookdownduhautdemagrandeuronhisyouthfulardour.TohimIcanspeakasif,inmyeyes,theywerebothchildren.LetmeseeifIcankeepupthesamer?lewithher.IhaveknownthemomentwhenIseemedabouttoforgetit,whenConfusionandSubmissionseemedabouttocrushmewiththeirsofttyranny,whenmytonguefaltered,andIhavealmostletthemantledrop,andstoodinherpresence,notmaster—no—butsomethingelse.ItrustIshallneversoplaythefool.ItiswellforaSirPhilipNunnelytoreddenwhenhemeetshereye.Hemaypermithimselftheindulgenceofsubmission.Hemayeven,withoutdisgrace,sufferhishandtotremblewhenittoucheshersbutifoneofherfarmersweretoshowhimselfsusceptibleandsentimental,hewouldmerelyprovehisneedofastrai