CHAPTER XII. HOW ALLEYNE LEARNED MORE THAN HE COULD TEACH.

nd,andavacanteyeandlistlessfacewouldwarntheteacherthathehadlosthisholduponhisscholar.Thenhehadbuttobringouttheoldromancebookfromthepriory,withbefingeredcoverofsheepskinandgoldlettersuponapurpleground,toenticeherwaywardmindbacktothepathsoflearning. Attimes,too,whenthewildfitwasuponher,shewouldbreakintopertnessandrebelopenlyagainstAlleyne'sgentlefirmness.Yethewouldjogquietlyonwithhisteachings,takingnoheedtohermutiny,untilsuddenlyshewouldbeconqueredbyhispatience,andbreakintoself-revilingsahundredtimesstrongerthanherfaultdemanded.Itchancedhoweverthat,ononeofthesemorningswhentheevilmoodwasuponher,Agathatheyoungtire-woman,thinkingtopleasehermistress,beganalsototossherheadandmaketartrejoindertotheteacher'squestions.InaninstanttheLadyMaudehadturneduponhertwoblazingeyesandafacewhichwasblanchedwithanger. “Youwoulddare!”saidshe.“Youwoulddare!”Thefrightenedtire-womantriedtoexcuseherself.“Butmyfairlady,”shestammered,“whathaveIdone?IhavesaidnomorethanIheard.” “Youwoulddare!”repeatedtheladyinachokingvoice.“You,agracelessbaggage,afoolishlack-brain,withnothoughtabovethehemmingofshifts.Andhesokindlyandhendyandlong-suffering!Youwould—ha,youmaywellfleetheroom!” Shehadspokenwitharisingvoice,andaclaspingandopeningofherlongwhitefingers,sothatitwasnomarvelthaterethespeechwasovertheskirtsofAgathawerewhiskingroundthedoorandtheclickofhersobstobehearddyingswiftlyawaydownthecorridor. Alleynestaredopen-eyedatthistigresswhohadsprungsosuddenlytohisrescue.“Thereisnoneedforsuchanger,”hesaidmildly.“Themaid'swordshavedonemenoscath.Itisyouyourselfwhohaveerred.” “Iknowit,”shecried,“Iamamostwickedwoman.Butitisbadenoughthatoneshouldmisuseyou.Mafoi!Iwillseethatthereisnotasecondone.” “Nay,nay,noonehasmisusedme,”heanswered.“Butthefaultliesinyourhotandbitterwords.Youhavecalledherabaggageandalack-brain,andIknownotwhat.” “Andyouarehewhotaughtmetospeakthetruth,”shecried.“NowIhavespokenit,andyetIcannotpleaseyou.Lack-brainsheis,andlack-brainIshallcallher.” Suchwasasampleofthesuddenjanglingswhichmarredthepeaceofthatlittleclass.Astheweekspassed,however,theybecamefewerandlessviolent,asAlleyne'sfirmandconstantnaturegainedswayandinfluenceovertheLadyMaude.Andyet,soothtosay,thereweretimeswhenhehadtoaskhimselfwhetheritwasnottheLadyMaudewhowasgainingswayandinfluenceoverhim.Ifshewerechanging,sowashe.Indrawingherupfromtheworld,hewasdaybydaybeinghimselfdraggeddowntowardsit.InvainhestroveandreasonedwithhimselfastothemadnessoflettinghismindrestuponSirNigel'sdaughter.Whatwashe—ayoungerson,apennilessclerk,asquireunabletopayforhisownharness—thatheshoulddaretoraisehiseyestothefairestmaidinHampshire?Sospakereasonbut,inspiteofall,hervoicewaseverinhisearsandherimageinhisheart.Strongerthanreason,strongerthancloisterteachings,strongerthanallthatmightholdhimback,wasthatold,oldtyrantwhowillbrooknorivalinthekingdomofyouth. Andyetitwasasurpriseandashocktohimselftofindhowdeeplyshehadenteredintohislifehowcompletelythosevagueambitionsandyearningswhichhadfilledhisspiritualnaturecentredthemselvesnowuponthisthingofearth.Hehadscarcedaredtofacethechangewhichhadcomeuponhim,whenafewsuddenchancewordsshoweditalluphardandclear,likealightningflashinthedarkness. HehadriddenovertoPoole,oneNovemberday,withhisfellow-squire,PeterTerlake,inquestofcertainyew-stavesfromWatSwathling,theDorsetshirearmorer.Thedayfortheirdeparturehadalmostcome,andthetwoyouthsspur