CHAPTER XI.

unfatingeneralandhe’sgotafineleg.Theparson’snimbleenough,buthehasn’tgotmuchofaleg:it’sabittoothickdown’ard,andhiskneesmightbeabitnearerwi’outdamagebuthemightdoworse,hemightdoworse.Thoughhehasn’tthatgrandwayo’wavinghishandastheSquirehas.” “Talko’nimbleness,lookatMrs.Osgood,”saidBenWinthrop,whowasholdinghissonAaronbetweenhisknees.“Shetripsalongwithherlittlesteps,soasnobodycanseehowshegoes—it’slikeasifshehadlittlewheelstoherfeet.Shedoesn’tlookadayoldernorlastyear:she’sthefinest-madewomanasis,letthenextbewhereshewill.” “Idon’theedhowthewomenaremade,”saidMr.Macey,withsomecontempt.“Theywearnaythercoatnorbreeches:youcan’tmakemuchouto’theirshapes.” “Fayder,”saidAaron,whosefeetwerebusybeatingoutthetune,“howdoesthatbigcock’s-featherstickinMrs.Crackenthorp’syead?Istherealittleholeforit,likeinmyshuttle-cock?” “Hush,lad,hushthat’sthewaytheladiesdresstheirselves,thatis,”saidthefather,adding,however,inanundertonetoMr.Macey,“Itdoesmakeherlookfunny,though—partlylikeashort-neckedbottlewi’alongquillinit.Hey,byjingo,there’stheyoungSquireleadingoffnow,wi’MissNancyforpartners!There’salassforyou!—likeapink-and-whiteposy—there’snobody’udthinkasanybodycouldbesopritty.Ishouldn’twonderifshe’sMadamCasssomeday,arterall—andnobodymorerightfuller,forthey’dmakeafinematch.YoucanfindnothingagainstMasterGodfrey’sshapes,Macey,I’llbetapenny.” Mr.Maceyscreweduphismouth,leanedhisheadfurtherononeside,andtwirledhisthumbswithaprestomovementashiseyesfollowedGodfreyupthedance.Atlasthesummeduphisopinion. “Prettywelldown’ard,butabittooroundi’theshoulder-blades.AndasforthemcoatsashegetsfromtheFlittontailor,they’reapoorcuttopaydoublemoneyfor.” “Ah,Mr.Macey,youandmearetwofolks,”saidBen,slightlyindignantatthiscarping.“WhenI’vegotapoto’goodale,Iliketoswallerit,anddomyinsidegood,i’steado’smellingandstaringatittoseeifIcan’tfindfautwi’thebrewing.Ishouldlikeyoutopickmeoutafiner-limbedyoungfellownorMasterGodfrey—oneas’udknockyoudowneasier,or’smorepleasanter-looksedwhenhe’spiertandmerry.” “Tchuh!”saidMr.Macey,provokedtoincreasedseverity,“heisn’tcometohisrightcolouryet:he’spartlylikeaslack-bakedpie.AndIdoubthe’sgotasoftplaceinhishead,elsewhyshouldhebeturnedroundthefingerbythatoffalDunseyasnobody’sseeno’late,andlethimkillthatfinehuntinghossaswasthetalko’thecountry?AndonewhilehewasallaysafterMissNancy,andthenitallwentoffagain,likeasmello’hotporridge,asImaysay.Thatwasn’tmywaywhenIwenta-coorting.” “Ah,butmayhapMissNancyhungoff,like,andyourlassdidn’t,”saidBen. “Ishouldsayshedidn’t,”saidMr.Macey,significantly.“BeforeIsaid“sniff”,Itookcaretoknowasshe’dsay“snaff”,andprettyquicktoo.Iwasn’ta-goingtoopenmymouth,likeadogatafly,andsnapittoagain,wi’nothingtoswaller.” “Well,IthinkMissNancy’sa-comingroundagain,”saidBen,“forMasterGodfreydoesn’tlooksodown-heartedto-night.AndIseehe’sfortakingherawaytositdown,nowthey’reattheendo’thedance:thatlookslikesweethearting,thatdoes.” ThereasonwhyGodfreyandNancyhadleftthedancewasnotsotenderasBenimagined.IntheclosepressofcouplesaslightaccidenthadhappenedtoNancy’sdress,which,whileitwasshortenoughtoshowherneatankleinfront,waslongenoughbehindtobecaughtunderthestatelystampoftheSquire’sfoot,soastorendcertainstitchesatthewaist,andcausemuchsisterlyagitationinPriscilla’smind,aswellasseriousconcerninNancy’s.One’sthoughtsmaybemuchoccupiedwithlove-struggles,buthardlysoastobeinsensibletoadisorderinthegeneralframeworkofthings.NancyhadnosoonercompletedherdutyinthefiguretheyweredancingthanshesaidtoGodfrey,withadeepblush,thatshemustgoandsitdowntillPriscillacouldcometoherforthesistershadalreadyexchangedashortwhisperandanopen-eyedglancefullofmeaning.NoreasonlessurgentthanthiscouldhaveprevailedonNancytogiveGodfreythisopportunityofsittingapartwithher.AsforGodfrey,hewasfeelingsohappyandobliviousunderthelongcharmofthecountry-dancewithNancy,thathegotratherboldonthestrengthofherconfusion,andwascapableofleadingherstraightaway,withoutleaveasked,intotheadjoiningsmallparlour,wherethecard-tableswereset. “Ohno,thankyou,”saidNancy,coldly,assoonassheperceivedwherehewasgoing,“notinthere.I’llwaitheretillPriscilla’sreadytocometome.I’msorrytobringyououtofthedanceandmakemyselftroublesome.” “Why,you’llbemorecomfortableherebyyourself,”saidtheartfulGodfrey:“I’llleaveyouheretillyoursistercancome.”Hespokeinanindifferenttone. Thatwasanagreeableproposition,andjustwhatNancydesiredwhy,then,wasshealittlehurtthatMr.Godfreyshouldmakeit?Theyentered,andsheseatedherselfonachairagainstoneofthecard-tables,asthestiffestandmostunapproachablepositionshecouldchoose. “Thankyou,sir,”shesaidimmediately.“Ineedn’tgiveyouanymoretrouble.I’msorryyou’vehadsuchanunluckypartner.” “That’sveryill-naturedofyou,”saidGodfrey,standingbyherwithoutanysignofintendeddeparture,“tobesorryyou’vedancedwithme.” “Oh,no,sir,Idon’tmeantosaywhat’sill-naturedatall,”saidNancy,lookingdistractinglyprimandpretty.“Whengentlemenhavesomanypleasures,onedancecanmatterbutverylittle.” “Youknowthatisn’ttrue.Youknowonedancewithyoumattersmoretomethanalltheotherpleasuresintheworld.” Itwasalong,longwhilesinceGodfreyhadsaidanythingsodirectasthat,andNancywasstartled.Butherinstinctivedignityandrepugnancetoanyshowofemotionmadehersitperfectlystill,andonlythrowalittlemoredecisionintohervoice,asshesaid— “No,indeed,Mr.Godfrey,that’snotknowntome,andIhaveverygoodreasonsforthinkingdifferent.Butifit’strue,Idon’twishtohearit.” “Wouldyouneverforgiveme,then,Nancy—neverthinkwellofme,letwhatwouldhappen—wouldyouneverthinkthepresentmadeamendsforthepast?NotifIturnedagoodfellow,andgaveupeverythingyoudidn’tlike?” GodfreywashalfconsciousthatthissuddenopportunityofspeakingtoNancyalonehaddrivenhimbesidehimselfbutblindfeelinghadgotthemasteryofhistongue.NancyreallyfeltmuchagitatedbythepossibilityGodfrey’swordssuggested,butthisverypressureofemotionthatshewasindangeroffindingtoostrongforherrousedallherpowerofself-command. “Ishouldbegladtoseeagoodchangeinanybody,Mr.Godfrey,”sheanswered,withtheslightestdiscernibledifferenceoftone,“butit’udbebetterifnochangewaswanted.” “You’reveryhard-hearted,Nancy,”saidGodfrey,pettishly.“Youmightencouragemetobeabetterfellow.I’mverymiserable—butyou’venofeeling.” “Ithinkthosehavetheleastfeelingthatactwrongtobeginwith,”saidNancy,sendingoutaflashinspiteofherself.Godfreywasdelightedwiththatlittleflash,andwouldhavelikedtogoonandmakeherquarrelwithhimNancywassoexasperatinglyquietandfirm.Butshewasnotindifferenttohimyet,though— TheentranceofPriscilla,bustlingforwardandsaying,“Dearheartalive,child,letuslookatthisgown,”cutoffGodfrey’shopesofaquarrel. “IsupposeImustgonow,”hesaidtoPriscilla. “It’snomattertomewhetheryougoorstay,”saidthatfranklady,searchingforsomethinginherpocket,withapreoccupiedbrow. “Doyouwantmetogo?”saidGodfrey,lookingatNancy,whowasnowstandingupbyPriscilla’sorder. “Asyoulike,”saidNancy,tryingtorecoverallherformercoldness,andlookingdowncarefullyatthehemofhergown. “ThenIliketostay,”saidGodfrey,witharecklessdeterminationtogetasmuchofthisjoyashecouldto-night,andthinknothingofthemorrow.