CHAPTER XXXI. UNCLE AND NIECE.

Thediewascast.SirPhilipNunnelyknewitShirleyknewitMr.Sympsonknewit.Thatevening,whenalltheFieldheadfamilydinedatNunnelyPriory,decidedthebusiness. Twoorthreethingsconducedtobringthebaronettoapoint.HehadobservedthatMissKeeldarlookedpensiveanddelicate.Thisnewphaseinherdemeanoursmotehimonhisweakorpoeticside.Aspontaneoussonnetbrewedinhisbrainandwhileitwasstillworkingthere,oneofhissisterspersuadedhislady-lovetositdowntothepianoandsingaballad—oneofSirPhilip'sownballads.Itwastheleastelaborate,theleastaffected—outofallcomparisonthebestofhisnumerousefforts. ItchancedthatShirley,themomentbefore,hadbeengazingfromawindowdownonthepark.Shehadseenthatstormymoonlightwhich"leProfesseurLouis"wasperhapsatthesameinstantcontemplatingfromherownoak-parlourlatticeshehadseentheisolatedtreesofthedomain—broad,strong,spreadingoaks,andhigh-toweringheroicbeeches—wrestlingwiththegale.Herearhadcaughtthefullroaroftheforestlowerdowntheswiftrushingofclouds,themoon,totheeye,hastingswifterstill,hadcrossedhervision.Sheturnedfromsightandsound—touched,ifnotraptwakened,ifnotinspired. Shesang,asrequested.Therewasmuchaboutloveintheballad—faithfullovethatrefusedtoabandonitsobjectlovethatdisastercouldnotshakelovethatincalamitywaxedfonder,inpovertyclungcloser.Thewordsweresettoafineoldairinthemselvestheyweresimpleandsweet.Perhaps,whenread,theywantedforcewhenwellsung,theywantednothing.Shirleysangthemwell.Shebreathedintothefeelingsoftnessshepouredroundthepassionforce.Hervoicewasfinethatevening,itsexpressiondramatic.Sheimpressedall,andcharmedone. Onleavingtheinstrumentshewenttothefire,andsatdownonaseat—semi-stool,semi-cushion.Theladieswereroundhernoneofthemspoke.TheMissesSympsonandtheMissesNunnelylookeduponherasquietpoultrymightlookonanegret,anibis,oranyotherstrangefowl.Whatmadehersingso?Theyneversangso.Wasitpropertosingwithsuchexpression,withsuchoriginality—sounlikeaschool-girl?Decidedlynot.Itwasstrange,itwasunusual.Whatwasstrangemustbewrongwhatwasunusualmustbeimproper.Shirleywasjudged. Moreover,oldLadyNunnelyeyedherstonilyfromhergreatchairbythefireside.Hergazesaid,"Thiswomanisnotofmineormydaughters'kind.Iobjecttoherasmyson'swife." Herson,catchingthelook,readitsmeaning.Hegrewalarmed.Whathesowishedtowintherewasdangerhemightlose.Hemustmakehaste. Theroomtheywereinhadoncebeenapicture-gallery.SirPhilip'sfather—SirMonckton—hadconverteditintoasaloonbutstillithadashadowy,long-withdrawinglook.Adeeprecesswithawindow—arecessthatheldonecouch,onetable,andafairycabinet—formedaroomwithinaroom.Twopersonsstandingtheremightinterchangeadialogue,and,soitwereneitherlongnorloud,nonebethewiser. SirPhilipinducedtwoofhissisterstoperpetrateaduet.HegaveoccupationtotheMissesSympson.Theelderladieswereconversingtogether.HewaspleasedtoremarkthatmeantimeShirleyrosetolookatthepictures.Hehadataletotellaboutoneancestress,whosedarkbeautyseemedasthatofaflowerofthesouth.Hejoinedher,andbegantotellit. ThereweremementoesofthesameladyinthecabinetadorningtherecessandwhileShirleywasstoopingtoexaminethemissalandtherosaryontheinlaidshelf,andwhiletheMissesNunnelyindulgedinaprolongedscreech,guiltlessofexpression,pureoforiginality,perfectlyconventionalandabsolutelyunmeaning,SirPhilipstoopedtoo,andwhisperedafewhurriedsentences.AtfirstMissKeeldarwasstrucksostillyoumighthavefanciedthatwhisperacharmwhichhadchangedhertoastatuebutshepresentlylookedupandanswered.Theyparted.MissKeeldarreturnedtothefire,andresumedherseat.Thebaronetgazedafterher,thenwentandstoodbehindhissisters.Mr.Sympson—Mr.Sympsononly—hadmarkedthepantomime. Thatgentlemandrewhisownconclusions.Hadhebeenasacuteashewasmeddling,asprofoundashewasprying,hemighthavefoundthatinSirPhilip'sfacewherebytocorrecthisinference.Evershallow,hasty,andpositive,hewenthomequitecock-a-hoop. Hewasnotamanthatkeptsecretswell.Whenelateonasubject,hecouldnotavoidtalkingaboutit.Thenextmorning,havingoccasiontoemployhisson'stutorashissecretary,hemustneedsannouncetohim,inmouthingaccents,andwithmuchflimsypompofmanner,thathehadbetterholdhimselfpreparedforareturntothesouthatanearlyday,astheimportantbusinesswhichhaddetainedhim(Mr.Sympson)solonginYorkshirewasnowontheeveoffortunatecompletion.Hisanxiousandlaboriouseffortswerelikely,atlast,tobecrownedwiththehappiestsuccess.Atrulyeligibleadditionwasabouttobemadetothefamilyconnections. "InSirPhilipNunnely?"LouisMooreconjectured. WhereuponMr.Sympsontreatedhimselfsimultaneouslytoapinchofsnuffandachucklinglaugh,checkedonlybyasuddenchokeofdignity,andanordertothetutortoproceedwithbusiness. ForadayortwoMr.Sympsoncontinuedasblandasoil,butalsoheseemedtositonpins,andhisgait,whenhewalked,emulatedthatofahentreadingahotgirdle.Hewasforeverlookingoutofthewindowandlisteningforchariot-wheels.Bluebeard'swife—Sisera'smother—werenothingtohim.Hewaitedwhenthemattershouldbeopenedinform,whenhimselfshouldbeconsulted,whenlawyersshouldbesummoned,whensettlementdiscussionsandallthedeliciousworldlyfussshouldpompouslybegin. Atlasttherecamealetter.HehimselfhandedittoMissKeeldaroutofthebag.Heknewthehandwritingheknewthecrestontheseal.Hedidnotseeitopenedandread,forShirleytookittoherownroomnordidheseeitanswered,forshewroteherreplyshutup,andwasverylongaboutit—thebestpartofaday.He