CHAPTER XXXI. UNCLE AND NIECE.

questionedherwhetheritwasansweredsheresponded,"Yes." Againhewaited—waitedinsilence,absolutelynotdaringtospeak,keptmutebysomethinginShirley'sface—averyawfulsomething—inscrutabletohimasthewritingonthewalltoBelshazzar.HewasmovedmorethanoncetocallDaniel,inthepersonofLouisMoore,andtoaskaninterpretationbuthisdignityforbadethefamiliarity.Danielhimself,perhaps,hadhisownprivatedifficultiesconnectedwiththatbafflingbitoftranslationhelookedlikeastudentforwhomgrammarsareblankanddictionariesdumb. Mr.Sympsonhadbeenout,towhileawayananxioushourinthesocietyofhisfriendsatDeWaldenHall.Hereturnedalittlesoonerthanwasexpected.HisfamilyandMissKeeldarwereassembledintheoakparlour.Addressingthelatter,herequestedhertostepwithhimintoanotherroom.Hewishedtohavewithhera"strictlyprivateinterview." Sherose,askingnoquestionsandprofessingnosurprise. "Verywell,sir,"shesaid,inthetoneofadeterminedpersonwhoisinformedthatthedentistiscometoextractthatlargedoubletoothofhis,fromwhichhehassufferedsuchapurgatorythismonthpast.Shelefthersewingandherthimbleinthewindow-seat,andfollowedherunclewhereheled. Shutintothedrawing-room,thepairtookseats,eachinanarm-chair,placedopposite,afewyardsbetweenthem. "IhavebeentoDeWaldenHall,"saidMr.Sympson.Hepaused.MissKeeldar'seyeswereontheprettywhite-and-greencarpet.Thatinformationrequirednoresponse.Shegavenone. "Ihavelearned,"hewentonslowly—"Ihavelearnedacircumstancewhichsurprisesme." Restinghercheekonherforefinger,shewaitedtobetoldwhatcircumstance. "ItseemsthatNunnelyPrioryisshutup—thatthefamilyaregonebacktotheirplacein——shire.Itseemsthatthebaronet—thatthebaronet—thatSirPhiliphimselfhasaccompaniedhismotherandsisters." "Indeed!"saidShirley. "MayIaskifyousharetheamazementwithwhichIreceivedthisnews?" "No,sir." "Isitnewstoyou?" "Yes,sir." "Imean—Imean,"pursuedMr.Sympson,nowfidgetinginhischair,quittinghishithertobriefandtolerablyclearphraseology,andreturningtohiscustomarywordy,confused,irritablestyle—"Imeantohaveathoroughexplanation.Iwillnotbeputoff.I—I—shallinsistonbeingheard,andon—onhavingmyownway.Myquestionsmustbeanswered.Iwillhaveclear,satisfactoryreplies.Iamnottobetrifledwith.(Silence.) "Itisastrangeandanextraordinarything—averysingular—amostoddthing!Ithoughtallwasright,knewnootherandthere—thefamilyaregone!" "Isuppose,sir,theyhadarighttogo." "SirPhilipisgone!"(withemphasis). Shirleyraisedherbrows."Bonvoyage!"saidshe. "Thiswillnotdothismustbealtered,ma'am." Hedrewhischairforwardhepusheditbackhelookedperfectlyincensed,andperfectlyhelpless. "Come,comenow,uncle,"expostulatedShirley,"donotbegintofretandfume,orweshallmakenosenseofthebusiness.Askmewhatyouwanttoknow.Iamaswillingtocometoanexplanationasyou.Ipromiseyoutruthfulreplies." "Iwant—Idemandtoknow,MissKeeldar,whetherSirPhiliphasmadeyouanoffer?" "Hehas." "Youavowit?" "Iavowit.Butnow,goon.Considerthatpointsettled." "Hemadeyouanofferthatnightwedinedatthepriory?" "Itisenoughtosaythathemadeit.Goon." "Heproposedintherecess—intheroomthatusedtobeapicture-gallery—thatSirMoncktonconvertedintoitsaloon?" Noanswer. "Youwerebothexaminingacabinet.Isawitall.Mysagacitywasnotatfault—itneveris.Subsequentlyyoureceivedaletterfromhim.Onwhatsubject—ofwhatnaturewerethecontents?" "Nomatter." "Ma'am,isthatthewayinwhichyouspeaktome?" Shirley'sfoottappedquickonthecarpet. "Thereyousit,silentandsullen—youwhopromisedtruthfulreplies." "Sir,Ihaveansweredyouthusfar.Proceed." "Ishouldliketoseethatletter." "Youcannotseeit." "Imustandshall,ma'amIamyourguardian." "Havingceasedtobeaward,Ihavenoguardian." "Ungratefulbeing!Rearedbymeasmyowndaughter——" "Oncemore,uncle,havethekindnesstokeeptothepoint.Letusbothremaincool.Formypart,Idonotwishtogetintoapassionbut,youknow,oncedrivemebeyondcertainbounds,IcarelittlewhatIsay—Iamnotthensoonchecked.Listen!YouhaveaskedmewhetherSirPhilipmademeanoffer.Thatquestionisanswered.Whatdoyouwishtoknownext?" "Idesiretoknowwhetheryouacceptedorrefusedhim,andknowitIwill." "Certainly,yououghttoknowit.Irefusedhim." "Refusedhim!You—you,ShirleyKeeldar,refusedSirPhilipNunnely?" "Idid." Thepoorgentlemanbouncedfromhischair,andfirstrushedandthentrottedthroughtheroom. "Thereitis!Thereitis!Thereitis!" "Sincerelyspeaking,Iamsorry,uncle,youaresodisappointed." Concession,contrition,neverdoanygoodwithsomepeople.Insteadofsofteningandconciliating,theybutemboldenandhardenthem.OfthatnumberwasMr.Sympson. "Idisappointed?Whatisittome?HaveIaninterestinit?Youwouldinsinuate,perhaps,thatIhavemotives?" "Mostpeoplehavemotivesofsomesortfortheiractions." "Sheaccusesmetomyface!I,thathavebeenaparenttoher,shechargeswithbadmotives!" "BadmotivesIdidnotsay." "Andnowyouprevaricateyouhavenoprinciples!" "Uncle,youtireme.Iwanttogoaway." "Goyoushallnot!Iwillbeanswered.Whatareyourintentions,MissKeeldar?" "Inwhatrespect?" "Inrespectofmatrimony?" "Tobequiet,andtodojustasIplease." "Justasyouplease!Thewordsaretothelastdegreeindecorous." "Mr.Sympson,Iadviseyounottobecomeinsulting.YouknowIwillnotbearthat." "YoureadFrench.YourmindispoisonedwithFrenchnovels.YouhaveimbibedFrenchprinciples." "Thegr