CHAPTER XXXI. UNCLE AND NIECE.

ssimilar—apairofhumanfalcons—anddry,direct,decidedboth.Butmyheroisthemightierofthetwo.Hismindhastheclearnessofthedeepsea,thepatienceofitsrocks,theforceofitsbillows." "Rantandfustian!" "Idaresayhecanbeharshasasaw-edgeandgruffasahungryraven." "MissKeeldar,doesthepersonresideinBriarfield?Answermethat." "Uncle,Iamgoingtotellyouhisnameistremblingonmytongue." "Speak,girl!" "Thatwaswellsaid,uncle.'Speak,girl!'Itisquitetragic.Englandhashowledsavagelyagainstthisman,uncle,andshewillonedayroarexultinglyoverhim.Hehasbeenunscaredbythehowl,andhewillbeunelatedbytheshout." "Isaidshewasmad.Sheis." "Thiscountrywillchangeandchangeagaininherdemeanourtohimhewillneverchangeinhisdutytoher.Come,ceasetochafe,uncle,I'lltellyouhisname." "Youshalltellme,or——" "Listen!ArthurWellesley,LordWellington." Mr.Sympsonroseupfurious.Hebouncedoutoftheroom,butimmediatelybouncedbackagain,shutthedoor,andresumedhisseat. "Ma'am,youshalltellmethis.Willyourprinciplespermityoutomarryamanwithoutmoney—amanbelowyou?" "Neveramanbelowme." (Inahighvoice.)"Willyou,MissKeeldar,marryapoorman?" "Whatrighthaveyou,Mr.Sympson,toaskme?" "Iinsistuponknowing." "Youdon'tgothewaytoknow." "Myfamilyrespectabilityshallnotbecompromised." "Agoodresolutionkeepit." "Madam,itisyouwhoshallkeepit." "Impossible,sir,sinceIformnopartofyourfamily." "Doyoudisownus?" "Idisdainyourdictatorship." "Whomwillyoumarry,MissKeeldar?" "NotMr.SamWynne,becauseIscornhimnotSirPhilipNunnely,becauseIonlyesteemhim." "Whomhaveyouinyoureye?" "Fourrejectedcandidates." "Suchobstinacycouldnotbeunlessyouwereunderimproperinfluence." "Whatdoyoumean?Therearecertainphrasespotenttomakemybloodboil.Improperinfluence!Whatoldwoman'scackleisthat?" "Areyouayounglady?" "Iamathousandtimesbetter:Iamanhonestwoman,andassuchIwillbetreated." "Doyouknow"(leaningmysteriouslyforward,andspeakingwithghastlysolemnity)—"doyouknowthewholeneighbourhoodteemswithrumoursrespectingyouandabankrupttenantofyours,theforeignerMoore?" "Doesit?" "Itdoes.Yournameisineverymouth." "Ithonoursthelipsitcrosses,andIwishtothegodsitmaypurifythem." "Isitthatpersonwhohaspowertoinfluenceyou?" "Beyondanywhosecauseyouhaveadvocated." "Isitheyouwillmarry?" "Heishandsome,andmanly,andcommanding." "Youdeclareittomyface!TheFlemishknave!thelowtrader!" "Heistalented,andventurous,andresolute.Princeisonhisbrow,andrulerinhisbearing." "Shegloriesinit!Sheconcealsnothing!Noshame,nofear!" "WhenwespeakthenameofMoore,shameshouldbeforgottenandfeardiscarded.TheMooresknowonlyhonourandcourage." "Isaysheismad." "YouhavetauntedmetillmybloodisupyouhaveworriedmetillIturnagain." "ThatMooreisthebrotherofmyson'stutor.Wouldyoulettheushercallyousister?" BrightandbroadshoneShirley'seyeasshefixeditonherquestionernow. "No,nonotforaprovinceofpossession,notforacenturyoflife." "Youcannotseparatethehusbandfromhisfamily." "Whatthen?" "Mr.LouisMoore'ssisteryouwillbe." "Mr.Sympson,IamsickatheartwithallthisweaktrashIwillbearnomore.Yourthoughtsarenotmythoughts,youraimsarenotmyaims,yourgodsarenotmygods.Wedonotviewthingsinthesamelightwedonotmeasurethembythesamestandardwehardlyspeakinthesametongue.Letuspart." "Itisnot,"sheresumed,muchexcited—"itisnotthatIhateyouyouareagoodsortofman.Perhapsyoumeanwellinyourway.Butwecannotsuitweareeveratvariance.Youannoymewithsmallmeddling,withpettytyrannyyouexasperatemytemper,andmakeandkeepmepassionate.Astoyoursmallmaxims,yournarrowrules,yourlittleprejudices,aversions,dogmas,bundlethemoff.Mr.Sympson,go,offerthemasacrificetothedeityyouworshipI'llnoneofthem.Iwashmyhandsofthelot.Iwalkbyanothercreed,light,faith,andhopethanyou." "Anothercreed!Ibelievesheisaninfidel." "Aninfideltoyourreligion,anatheisttoyourgod." "An—atheist!!!" "Yourgod,sir,istheworld.Inmyeyesyoutoo,ifnotaninfidel,areanidolater.Iconceivethatyouignorantlyworshipinallthingsyouappeartometoosuperstitious.Sir,yourgod,yourgreatBel,yourfish-tailedDagon,risesbeforemeasademon.You,andsuchasyou,haveraisedhimtoathrone,putonhimacrown,givenhimasceptre.Beholdhowhideouslyhegoverns!Seehimbusiedattheworkhelikesbest—makingmarriages.Hebindstheyoungtotheold,thestrongtotheimbecile.HestretchesoutthearmofMezentius,andfettersthedeadtotheliving.Inhisrealmthereishatred—secrethatredthereisdisgust—unspokendisgustthereistreachery—familytreacherythereisvice—deep,deadlydomesticvice.Inhisdominionschildrengrowunlovingbetweenparentswhohaveneverlovedinfantsarenursedondeceptionfromtheirverybirththeyarerearedinanatmospherecorruptwithlies.Yourgodrulesatthebridalofkingslookatyourroyaldynasties!YourdeityisthedeityofforeignaristocraciesanalyzethebluebloodofSpain!YourgodistheHymenofFrancewhatisFrenchdomesticlife?Allthatsurroundshimhastenstodecayalldeclinesanddegeneratesunderhissceptre.YourgodisamaskedDeath." "Thislanguageisterrible!Mydaughtersandyoumustassociatenolonger,MissKeeldarthereisdangerinsuchcompanionship.HadIknownyoualittleearlier—but,extraordinaryasIthoughtyou,Icouldnothavebelieved——" "Now,sir,doyoubegintobeawarethatitisuselesstoschemeformethatindoingsoyoubutsowthewindtoreapthewhirlwind?Isweepyourcobwebprojectsfrommy