CHAPTER XXXV. WHEREIN MATTERS MAKE SOME PROGRESS, BUT NOT MUCH.

e?" "IconfessnothingbutIsaythathaughtyShirleyisnomorefreethanwasHagar." "Andwho,pray,istheAbraham,theheroofapatriarchwhohasachievedsuchaconquest?" "Youstillspeakscornfully,andcynically,andsorelybutIwillmakeyouchangeyournotebeforeIhavedonewithyou." "Wewillseethat.CanshemarrythisCupidon?" "Cupidon!heisjustaboutasmuchaCupidonasyouareaCyclops." "Canshemarryhim?" "Youwillsee." "Iwanttoknowhisname,Cary." "Guessit." "Isitanyoneinthisneighbourhood?" "Yes,inBriarfieldparish." "Thenitissomepersonunworthyofher.Idon'tknowasoulinBriarfieldparishherequal." "Guess." "Impossible.Isupposesheisunderadelusion,andwillplungeintosomeabsurdity,afterall." Carolinesmiled. "Doyouapprovethechoice?"askedMoore. "Quite,quite." "ThenIampuzzledfortheheadwhichownsthisbounteousfallofhazelcurlsisanexcellentlittlethinkingmachine,mostaccurateinitsworking.Itboastsacorrect,steadyjudgment,inheritedfrom'mamma,'Isuppose." "AndIquiteapprove,andmammawascharmed." "'Mamma'charmed—Mrs.Pryor!Itcan'tberomantic,then?" "Itisromantic,butitisalsoright." "Tellme,Cary—tellmeoutofpityIamtooweaktobetantalized." "Youshallbetantalized—itwilldoyounoharmyouarenotsoweakasyoupretend." "Ihavetwicethiseveninghadsomethoughtsoffallingontheflooratyourfeet." "Youhadbetternot.Ishalldeclinetohelpyouup." "Andworshippingyoudownright.MymotherwasaRomanCatholic.YoulookliketheloveliestofherpicturesoftheVirgin.IthinkIwillembraceherfaithandkneelandadore." "Robert,Robert,sitstilldon'tbeabsurd.IwillgotoHortenseifyoucommitextravagances." "Youhavestolenmysenses.JustnownothingwillcomeintomymindbutleslitaniesdelasainteVièrge.Rosecéleste,reinedesanges!" "Tourd'ivoire,maisond'or—isnotthatthejargon?Well,sitdownquietly,andguessyourriddle." "But'mamma'charmed—there'sthepuzzle." "I'lltellyouwhatmammasaidwhenItoldher.'Dependuponit,mydear,suchachoicewillmakethehappinessofMissKeeldar'slife.'" "I'llguessonce,andnomore.ItisoldHelstone.Sheisgoingtobeyouraunt." "I'lltellmyuncleI'lltellShirley!"criedCaroline,laughinggleefully."Guessagain,Robertyourblundersarecharming." "Itistheparson—Hall." "Indeed,noheismine,ifyouplease." "Yours!Ay,thewholegenerationofwomeninBriarfieldseemtohavemadeanidolofthatpriest.Iwonderwhyheisbald,sand-blind,gray-haired." "Fannywillbeheretofetchmebeforeyouhavesolvedtheriddle,ifyoudon'tmakehaste." "I'llguessnomore—IamtiredandthenIdon'tcare.MissKeeldarmaymarrylegrandTurcforme." "MustIwhisper?" "Thatyoumust,andquickly.HerecomesHortensecomenear,alittlenearer,myownLina.Icareforthewhispermorethanthewords." Shewhispered.Robertgaveastart,aflashoftheeye,abrieflaugh.MissMooreentered,andSarahfollowedbehind,withinformationthatFannywascome.Thehourofconversewasover. Robertfoundamomenttoexchangeafewmorewhisperedsentences.HewaswaitingatthefootofthestaircaseasCarolinedescendedafterputtingonhershawl. "MustIcallShirleyanoblecreaturenow?"heasked. "Ifyouwishtospeakthetruth,certainly." "MustIforgiveher?" "Forgiveher?NaughtyRobert!Wassheinthewrong,orwereyou?" "MustIatlengthloveherdownright,Cary?" Carolinelookedkeenlyup,andmadeamovementtowardshim,somethingbetweenthelovingandthepetulant. "Onlygivetheword,andI'lltrytoobeyyou." "Indeed,youmustnotloveherthebareideaisperverse." "Butthensheishandsome,peculiarlyhandsome.Hersisabeautythatgrowsonyou.Youthinkherbutgracefulwhenyoufirstseeheryoudiscoverhertobebeautifulwhenyouhaveknownherforayear." "Itisnotyouwhoaretosaythesethings.Now,Robert,begood." "OCary,Ihavenolovetogive.Werethegoddessofbeautytowoome,Icouldnotmeetheradvances.ThereisnoheartwhichIcancallmineinthisbreast." "Somuchthebetteryouareagreatdealsaferwithout.Good-night." "Whymustyoualwaysgo,Lina,attheveryinstantwhenImostwantyoutostay?" "Becauseyoumostwishtoretainwhenyouaremostcertaintolose." "Listenoneotherword.Takecareofyourownheart—doyouhearme?" "Thereisnodanger." "Iamnotconvincedofthat.ThePlatonicparson,forinstance." "Who—Malone?" "CyrilHall.Iowemorethanonetwingeofjealousytothatquarter." "Astoyou,youhavebeenflirtingwithMissMann.Sheshowedmetheotherdayaplantyouhadgivenher.—Fanny,Iamready."