CHAPTER XXXII. THE SCHOOLBOY AND THE WOOD-NYMPH.

BriarmainsbeingnearerthantheHollow,Mr.Yorkehadconveyedhisyoungcomradethere.Hehadseenhimlaidinthebestbedofthehouse,ascarefullyasifhehadbeenoneofhisownsons.Thesightofhisblood,wellingfromthetreacherouslyinflictedwound,madehimindeedthesonoftheYorkshiregentleman'sheart.Thespectacleofthesuddenevent,ofthetall,straightshapeprostratedinitsprideacrosstheroad,ofthefinesouthernheadlaidlowinthedust,ofthatyouthinprimeflungatoncebeforehimpallid,lifeless,helpless—thiswastheverycombinationofcircumstancestowinforthevictimMr.Yorke'sliveliestinterest. Nootherhandwastheretoraise—toaid,noothervoicetoquestionkindly,nootherbraintoconcertmeasureshehadtodoitallhimself.Thisutterdependenceofthespeechless,bleedingyouth(asayouthheregardedhim)onhisbenevolencesecuredthatbenevolencemosteffectually.WelldidMr.Yorkeliketohavepower,andtouseit.Hehadnowbetweenhishandspoweroverafellow-creature'slife.Itsuitedhim. Nolessperfectlydiditsuithissaturninebetterhalf.Theincidentwasquiteinherwayandtohertaste.Somewomenwouldhavebeenterror-strucktoseeagorymanbroughtinovertheirthreshold,andlaiddownintheirhallinthe"howeofthenight."There,youwouldsuppose,wassubject-matterforhysterics.No.Mrs.YorkewentintohystericswhenJessiewouldnotleavethegardentocometoherknitting,orwhenMartinproposedstartingforAustralia,withaviewtorealizefreedomandescapethetyrannyofMatthewbutanattemptedmurdernearherdoor—ahalf-murderedmaninherbestbed—setherstraight,cheeredherspirits,gavehercapthedashofaturban. Mrs.Yorkewasjustthewomanwho,whilerenderingmiserablethedrudginglifeofasimplemaid-servant,wouldnurselikeaheroineahospitalfullofplaguepatients.ShealmostlovedMoore.Hertoughheartalmostyearnedtowardshimwhenshefoundhimcommittedtohercharge—leftinherarms,asdependentonherasheryoungest-borninthecradle.Hadsheseenadomesticoroneofherdaughtersgivehimadraughtofwaterorsmoothhispillow,shewouldhaveboxedtheintruder'sears.ShechasedJessieandRosefromtheupperrealmofthehousesheforbadethehousemaidstosettheirfootinit. Now,iftheaccidenthadhappenedattherectorygates,andoldHelstonehadtakeninthemartyr,neitherYorkenorhiswifewouldhavepitiedhim.Theywouldhaveadjudgedhimrightservedforhistyrannyandmeddling.Asitwas,hebecame,forthepresent,theappleoftheireye. Strange!LouisMoorewaspermittedtocome—tositdownontheedgeofthebedandleanoverthepillowtoholdhisbrother'shand,andpresshispaleforeheadwithhisfraternallipsandMrs.Yorkeboreitwell.Shesufferedhimtostayhalfthedaytheresheoncesufferedhimtositupallnightinthechambersheroseherselfatfiveo'clockofawetNovembermorning,andwithherownhandslitthekitchenfire,andmadethebrothersabreakfast,andservedittothemherself.Majesticallyarrayedinaboundlessflannelwrapper,ashawl,andhernightcap,shesatandwatchedthemeat,ascomplacentlyasahenbeholdsherchickensfeed.YetshegavethecookwarningthatdayforventuringtomakeandcarryuptoMr.Mooreabasinofsago-gruelandthehousemaidlostherfavourbecause,whenMr.Louiswasdeparting,shebroughthimhissurtoutairedfromthekitchen,and,likea"forwardpiece"asshewas,helpedhimonwithit,andacceptedinreturnasmile,a"Thankyou,mygirl,"andashilling.Twoladiescalledoneday,paleandanxious,andbeggedearnestly,humbly,tobeallowedtoseeMr.Mooreoneinstant.Mrs.Yorkehardenedherheart,andsentthempacking—notwithoutopprobrium. ButhowwasitwhenHortenseMoorecame?Notsobadasmighthavebeenexpected.ThewholefamilyoftheMooresreallyseemedtosuitMrs.Yorkesoasnootherfamilyhadeversuitedher.Hortenseandshepossessedanexhaustlessmutualthemeofconversationinthecorruptpropensitiesofservants.Theirviewsofthisclassweresimilartheywatchedthemwiththesamesuspicion,andjudgedthemwiththesameseverity.Hortense,too,fromtheveryfirstshowednomannerofjealousyofMrs.Yorke'sattentionstoRobert—sheletherkeepthepostofnursewithlittleinterferenceand,forherself,foundceaselessoccupationinfidgetingaboutthehouse,holdingthekitchenundersurveillance,reportingwhatpassedthere,and,inshort,makingherselfgenerallyuseful.Visitorstheybothofthemagreedinexcludingsedulouslyfromthesickroom.Theyheldtheyoungmill-ownercaptive,andhardlylettheairbreatheorthes