CHAPTER XXXI. UNCLE AND NIECE.

path,thatImaypassonunsullied.Iamanchoredonaresolveyoucannotshake.Myheart,myconscienceshalldisposeofmyhand—theyonly.Knowthisatlast." Mr.Sympsonwasbecomingalittlebewildered. "Neverheardsuchlanguage!"hemutteredagainandagain"neverwassoaddressedinmylife—neverwassoused!" "Youarequiteconfused,sir.Youhadbetterwithdraw,orIwill." Herosehastily."Wemustleavethisplacetheymustpackupatonce." "Donothurrymyauntandcousinsgivethemtime." "Nomoreintercourseshe'snotproper." Hemadehiswaytothedoor.Hecamebackforhishandkerchief.Hedroppedhissnuff-box,leavingthecontentsscatteredonthecarpethestumbledout.TartarlayoutsideacrossthematMr.Sympsonalmostfelloverhim.Intheclimaxofhisexasperationhehurledanoathatthedogandacoarseepithetathismistress. "PoorMr.Sympson!heisbothfeebleandvulgar,"saidShirleytoherself."Myheadaches,andIamtired,"sheaddedandleaningherheaduponacushion,shesoftlysubsidedfromexcitementtorepose.One,enteringtheroomaquarterofanhourafterwards,foundherasleep.WhenShirleyhadbeenagitated,shegenerallytookthisnaturalrefreshmentitwouldcomeathercall. Theintruderpausedinherunconsciouspresence,andsaid,"MissKeeldar." Perhapshisvoiceharmonizedwithsomedreamintowhichshewaspassing.Itdidnotstartle,ithardlyrousedher.Withoutopeninghereyes,shebutturnedherheadalittle,sothathercheekandprofile,beforehiddenbyherarm,becamevisible.Shelookedrosy,happy,halfsmiling,buthereyelasheswerewet.Shehadweptinslumberorperhaps,beforedroppingasleep,afewnaturaltearshadfallenaftershehadheardthatepithet.Noman—nowoman—isalwaysstrong,alwaysabletobearupagainsttheunjustopinion,thevilifyingword.Calumny,evenfromthemouthofafool,willsometimescutintounguardedfeelings.Shirleylookedlikeachildthathadbeennaughtyandpunished,butwasnowforgivenandatrest. "MissKeeldar,"againsaidthevoice.Thistimeitwokeher.Shelookedup,andsawathersideLouisMoore—notcloseatherside,butstanding,witharrestedstep,twoorthreeyardsfromher. "OMr.Moore!"shesaid."Iwasafraiditwasmyuncleagain:heandIhavequarrelled." "Mr.Sympsonshouldletyoualone,"wasthereply."Canhenotseethatyouareasyetfarfromstrong?" "Iassureyouhedidnotfindmeweak.Ididnotcrywhenhewashere." "HeisabouttoevacuateFieldhead—sohesays.Heisnowgivingorderstohisfamily.Hehasbeenintheschoolroomissuingcommandsinamannerwhich,Isuppose,wasacontinuationofthatwithwhichhehasharassedyou." "AreyouandHenrytogo?" "Ibelieve,asfarasHenryisconcerned,thatwasthetenorofhisscarcelyintelligibledirectionsbuthemaychangeallto-morrow.Heisjustinthatmoodwhenyoucannotdependonhisconsistencyfortwoconsecutivehours.Idoubtwhetherhewillleaveyouforweeksyet.Tomyselfheaddressedsomewordswhichwillrequirealittleattentionandcommentby-and-by,whenIhavetimetobestowonthem.AtthemomenthecameinIwasbusiedwithanoteIhadgotfromMr.Yorke—sofullybusiedthatIcutshorttheinterviewwithhimsomewhatabruptly.Ilefthimraving.Hereisthenote.Iwishyoutoseeit.ItreferstomybrotherRobert."AndhelookedatShirley. "Ishallbegladtohearnewsofhim.Ishecominghome?" "Heiscome.HeisinYorkshire.Mr.YorkewentyesterdaytoStilbro'tomeethim." "Mr.Moore,somethingiswrong——" "Didmyvoicetremble?HeisnowatBriarmains,andIamgoingtoseehim." "Whathasoccurred?" "IfyouturnsopaleIshallbesorryIhavespoken.Itmighthavebeenworse.Robertisnotdead,butmuchhurt." "Osir,itisyouwhoarepale.Sitdownnearme." "Readthenote.Letmeopenit." MissKeeldarreadthenote.ItbrieflysignifiedthatlastnightRobertMoorehadbeenshotatfrombehindthewallofMilldeanplantation,atthefootoftheBrowthathewaswoundedseverely,butitwashopednotfatally.Oftheassassin,orassassins,nothingwasknowntheyhadescaped."Nodoubt,"Mr.Yorkeobserved,"itwasdoneinrevenge.Itwasapityill-willhadeverbeenraisedbutthatcouldnotbehelpednow." "Heismyonlybrother,"saidLouis,asShirleyreturnedthenote."Icannothearunmovedthatruffianshavelaidinwaitforhim,andshothimdown,likesomewildbeastfrombehindawall." "Becomfortedbehopeful.Hewillgetbetter—Iknowhewill." Shirley,solicitoustosoothe,heldherhandoverMr.Moore'sasitlayonthearmofthechair.Shejusttoucheditlightly,scarcepalpably. "Well,givemeyourhand,"hesaid."Itwillbeforthefirsttimeitisinamomentofcalamity.Giveitme." Awaitingneitherconsentnorrefusal,hetookwhatheasked. "IamgoingtoBriarmainsnow,"hewenton."IwantyoutostepovertotherectoryandtellCarolineHelstonewhathashappened.Willyoudothis?Shewillhearitbestfromyou." "Immediately,"saidShirley,withdocilepromptitude."OughtItosaythatthereisnodanger?" "Sayso." "Youwillcomebacksoon,andletmeknowmore?" "Iwilleithercomeorwrite." "TrustmeforwatchingoverCaroline.IwillcommunicatewithyoursistertoobutdoubtlesssheisalreadywithRobert?" "Doubtless,orwillbesoon.Good-morningnow." "Youwillbearup,comewhatmay." "Weshallseethat." Shirley'sfingerswereobligedtowithdrawfromthetutor's.Louiswasobligedtorelinquishthathandfolded,clasped,hiddeninhisown. "IthoughtIshouldhavehadtosupporther,"hesaid,ashewalkedtowardsBriarmains,"anditisshewhohasmademestrong.Thatlookofpity,thatgentletouch!Nodownwaseversofter,noelixirmorepotent!Itlaylikeasnowflakeitthrilledlikelightning.AthousandtimesIhavelongedtopossessthathand—tohaveitinmine.IhavepossesseditforfiveminutesIheldit.Herfingersandminecanneverbestrangersmore.Havingmetoncetheymustmeetagain."