CHAPTER IV.

ssionre-castthematherpleasure,andstrangemetamorphosesshewrought,givinghimnowthemienofamorosebull,andanonthatofanarchandmischievousgirlmorefrequently,thetwosemblanceswereblent,andaqueer,compositecountenancetheymade. Startingfromhissilentfit,hebegan:— “William!whatafoolyouaretoliveinthosedismallodgingsofMrs.King’s,whenyoumighttakeroomshereinGroveStreet,andhaveagardenlikeme!” “Ishouldbetoofarfromthemill.” “Whatofthat?Itwoulddoyougoodtowalkthereandbacktwoorthreetimesadaybesides,areyousuchafossilthatyouneverwishtoseeafloweroragreenleaf?” “Iamnofossil.” “Whatareyouthen?YousitatthatdeskinCrimsworth’scounting-housedaybydayandweekbyweek,scrapingwithapenonpaper,justlikeanautomatonyounevergetupyouneversayyouaretiredyouneveraskforaholidayyounevertakechangeorrelaxationyougivewaytonoexcessofaneveningyouneitherkeepwildcompany,norindulgeinstrongdrink.” “Doyou,Mr.Hunsden?” “Don’tthinktoposemewithshortquestionsyourcaseandminearediametricallydifferent,anditisnonsenseattemptingtodrawaparallel.Isay,thatwhenamanendurespatientlywhatoughttobeunendurable,heisafossil.” “Whencedoyouacquiretheknowledgeofmypatience?” “Why,man,doyousupposeyouareamystery?Theothernightyouseemedsurprisedatmyknowingtowhatfamilyyoubelongednowyoufindsubjectforwondermentinmycallingyoupatient.WhatdoyouthinkIdowithmyeyesandears?I’vebeeninyourcounting-housemorethanoncewhenCrimsworthhastreatedyoulikeadogcalledforabook,forinstance,andwhenyougavehimthewrongone,orwhathechosetoconsiderthewrongone,flungitbackalmostinyourfacedesiredyoutoshutoropenthedoorasifyouhadbeenhisflunkeytosaynothingofyourpositionatthepartyaboutamonthago,whereyouhadneitherplacenorpartner,buthoveredaboutlikeapoor,shabbyhanger-onandhowpatientyouwereundereachandallofthesecircumstances!” “Well,Mr.Hunsden,whatthen?” “IcanhardlytellyouwhatthentheconclusiontobedrawnastoyourcharacterdependsuponthenatureofthemotiveswhichguideyourconductifyouarepatientbecauseyouexpecttomakesomethingeventuallyoutofCrimsworth,notwithstandinghistyranny,orperhapsbymeansofit,youarewhattheworldcallsaninterestedandmercenary,butmaybeaverywisefellowifyouarepatientbecauseyouthinkitadutytomeetinsultwithsubmission,youareanessentialsap,andinnoshapethemanformymoneyifyouarepatientbecauseyournatureisphlegmatic,flat,inexcitable,andthatyoucannotgetuptothepitchofresistance,why,Godmadeyoutobecrushedandliedownbyallmeans,andlieflat,andletJuggernautridewelloveryou.” Mr.Hunsden’seloquencewasnot,itwillbeperceived,ofthesmoothandoilyorder.Ashespoke,hepleasedmeill.Iseemtorecognizeinhimoneofthosecharacterswho,sensitiveenoughthemselves,areselfishlyrelentlesstowardsthesensitivenessofothers.Moreover,thoughhewasneitherlikeCrimsworthnorLordTynedale,yethewasacrid,and,Isuspected,overbearinginhisway:therewasatoneofdespotismintheurgencyoftheveryreproachesbywhichheaimedatgoadingtheoppressedintorebellionagainsttheoppressor.LookingathimstillmorefixedlythanIhadyetdone,Isawwritteninhiseyeandmienaresolutiontoarrogatetohimselfafreedomsounlimitedthatitmightoftentrenchonthejustlibertyofhisneighbours.Irap