CHAPTER XXXI. UNCLE AND NIECE.

oundyouaretreadingnowreturnsamightyhollowsoundunderyourfeet.Beware!" "Itwillendininfamy,soonerorlater.Ihaveforeseenitallalong." "Doyouassert,sir,thatsomethinginwhichIamconcernedwillendininfamy?" "Thatitwill—thatitwill.Yousaidjustnowyouwouldactasyouplease.Youacknowledgenorules—nolimitations." "Sillystuff,andvulgarassilly!" "Regardlessofdecorum,youarepreparedtoflyinthefaceofpropriety." "Youtireme,uncle." "What,madam—whatcouldbeyourreasonsforrefusingSirPhilip?" "AtlastthereisanothersensiblequestionIshallbegladtoreplytoit.SirPhilipistooyoungforme.Iregardhimasaboy.Allhisrelations—hismotherespecially—wouldbeannoyedifhemarriedme.Suchastepwouldembroilhimwiththem.Iamnothisequalintheworld'sestimation." "Isthatall?" "Ourdispositionsarenotcompatible." "Why,amoreamiablegentlemanneverbreathed." "Heisveryamiable—veryexcellent—trulyestimablebutnotmymaster—notinonepoint.Icouldnottrustmyselfwithhishappiness.Iwouldnotundertakethekeepingofitforthousands.Iwillacceptnohandwhichcannotholdmeincheck." "Ithoughtyoulikedtodoasyouplease.Youarevastlyinconsistent." "WhenIpromisetoobey,itshallbeundertheconvictionthatIcankeepthatpromise.IcouldnotobeyayouthlikeSirPhilip.Besides,hewouldnevercommandme.Hewouldexpectmealwaystorule—toguide—andIhavenotastewhateverfortheoffice." "Younotasteforswaggering,andsubduing,andordering,andruling?" "Notmyhusbandonlymyuncle." "Whereisthedifference?" "Thereisaslightdifference—thatiscertain.AndIknowfullwellanymanwhowishestoliveindecentcomfortwithmeasahusbandmustbeabletocontrolme." "Iwishyouhadarealtyrant." "Atyrantwouldnotholdmeforaday,notforanhour.Iwouldrebel—breakfromhim—defyhim." "Areyounotenoughtobewilderone'sbrainwithyourself-contradiction?" "ItisevidentIbewilderyourbrain." "YoutalkofSirPhilipbeingyoung.Heistwo-and-twenty." "Myhusbandmustbethirty,withthesenseofforty." "Youhadbetterpickoutsomeoldman—somewhite-headedorbald-headedswain." "No,thankyou." "Youcouldleadsomedotingfoolyoumightpinhimtoyourapron." "Imightdothatwithaboybutitisnotmyvocation.DidInotsayIpreferamaster—oneinwhosepresenceIshallfeelobligedanddisposedtobegoodonewhosecontrolmyimpatienttempermustacknowledgeamanwhoseapprobationcanreward,whosedispleasurepunishmeamanIshallfeelitimpossiblenottolove,andverypossibletofear?" "WhatistheretohinderyoufromdoingallthiswithSirPhilip?Heisabaronet—amanofrank,property,connectionsfaraboveyours.Ifyoutalkofintellect,heisapoet—hewritesverseswhichyou,Itakeit,cannotdo,withallyourcleverness." "Neitherhistitle,wealth,pedigree,norpoetryavailtoinvesthimwiththepowerIdescribe.Thesearefeather-weightstheywantballast.Ameasureofsound,solid,practicalsensewouldhavestoodhiminbettersteadwithme." "YouandHenryraveaboutpoetry!Youusedtocatchfireliketinderonthesubjectwhenyouwereagirl." "Ouncle,thereisnothingreallyvaluableinthisworld,thereisnothinggloriousintheworldtocomethatisnotpoetry!" "Marryapoet,then,inGod'sname!" "Showhimme,andIwill." "SirPhilip." "Notatall.Youarealmostasgoodapoetashe." "Madam,youarewanderingfromthepoint." "Indeed,uncle,Iwantedtodoso,andIshallbegladtoleadyouawaywithme.Donotletusgetoutoftemperwitheachotheritisnotworthwhile." "Outoftemper,MissKeeldar!Ishouldbegladtoknowwhoisoutoftemper." "Iamnot,yet." "IfyoumeantoinsinuatethatIam,Iconsiderthatyouareguiltyofimpertinence." "Youwillbesoon,ifyougoonatthatrate." "Thereitis!WithyourperttongueyouwouldtrythepatienceofaJob." "IknowIshould." "Nolevity,miss!Thisisnotalaughingmatter.ItisanaffairIamresolvedtoprobethoroughly,convincedthatthereismischiefatthebottom.Youdescribedjustnow,withfartoomuchfreedomforyouryearsandsex,thesortofindividualyouwouldpreferasahusband.Pray,didyoupaintfromthelife?" Shirleyopenedherlips,butinsteadofspeakingsheonlyglowedrose-red. "Ishallhaveananswertothatquestion,"affirmedMr.Sympson,assumingvastcourageandconsequenceonthestrengthofthissymptomofconfusion. "Itwasanhistoricalpicture,uncle,fromseveraloriginals." "Severaloriginals!Blessmyheart!" "Ihavebeeninloveseveraltimes." "Thisiscynical." "Withheroesofmanynations." "Whatnext——" "Andphilosophers." "Sheismad——" "Don'tringthebell,uncleyouwillalarmmyaunt." "Yourpoordearaunt,whataniecehasshe!" "OnceIlovedSocrates." "Pooh!notrifling,ma'am." "IadmiredThemistocles,Leonidas,Epaminondas." "MissKeeldar——" "Topassoverafewcenturies,Washingtonwasaplainman,butIlikedhimbuttospeakoftheactualpresent——" "Ah!theactualpresent." "Toquitcrudeschoolgirlfancies,andcometorealities." "Realities!Thatisthetesttowhichyoushallbebrought,ma'am." "ToavowbeforewhataltarInowkneel—torevealthepresentidolofmysoul——" "Youwillmakehasteaboutit,ifyouplease.Itisnearluncheontime,andconfessyoushall." "ConfessImust.Myheartisfullofthesecret.Itmustbespoken.IonlywishyouwereMr.HelstoneinsteadofMr.Sympsonyouwouldsympathizewithmebetter." "Madam,itisaquestionofcommonsenseandcommonprudence,notofsympathyandsentiment,andsoon.DidyousayitwasMr.Helstone?" "Notprecisely,butasnearasmaybetheyareratheralike." "IwillknowthenameIwillhaveparticulars." "Theypositivelyareratheralike.Theirveryfacesarenotdi