第3章

`Ibegyourpardon，sir，’stammeredshe，——suddenlycalmingdown，——thelightofreasonseemingtobreakuponherbecloudedspiritandafaintblushmantlingonhercheek——`Ididnotknowyou；——andIthought——’

Shestoopedtokissthechild，andfondlyclaspedherarmroundhisneck。

`YouthoughtIwasgoingtokidnapyourson，Isuppose？’

Shestrokedhisheadwithahalf-embarrassedlaugh，andreplied，——

`Ididnotknowhehadattemptedtoclimbthewall——IhavethepleasureofaddressingMrMarkham，Ibelieve？’sheadded，somewhatabruptly。

Ibowed，butventuredtoaskhowsheknewme。

`Yoursistercalledhere，afewdaysago，withMrsMarkham。’

`Istheresemblancesostrongthen？’Iasked，insomesurprise，andnotsogreatlyBatteredattheideaasIoughttohavebeen。

`Thereisalikenessabouttheeyesandcomplexion，Ithink，’

repliedshe，somewhatdubiouslysurveyingmyface；——`andIthinkIsawyouatchurchonSunday。’

Ismiled——Therewassomethingeitherinthatsmileortherecollectionsitawakenedthatwasparticularlydispleasingtoher，forshesuddenlyassumedagainthatproud，chillylookthathadsounspeakablyrousedmycorruptionatchurch——alookofrepellentscorn，soeasilyassumed，andsoentirelywithouttheleastdistortionofasinglefeaturethat，whilethere，itseemedlikethenaturalexpressionoftheface，andwasthemoreprovokingtome，becauseIcouldnotthinkitaffected。

`Goodmorning，MrMarkham，’saidshe；andwithoutanotherwordorglance，shewithdrewwithherchildintothegarden；andIreturnedhome，angryanddissatisfied——Icouldscarcelytellyouwhy——andthereforewillnotattemptit。

Ionlystayedtoputawaymygunandpowder-horn，andgivesomerequisitedirectionstooneofthefarming-men，andthenrepairedtothevicarage，tosolacemyspiritandsoothemyruffledtemperwiththecompanyandconversationofElizaMillward。

Ifoundher，asusual，busywithsomepieceofsoftembroidery(themaniaforBerlinwoolshadnotyetcommenced)，whilehersisterwasseatedatthechimney-corner，withthecatonherknee，mendingaheapofstockings。

`Mary——Mary！putthemaway！’Elizawashastilysaying，justasIenteredtheroom。

`NotI，indeed！’wasthephlegmaticreply；andmyappearancepreventedfurtherdiscussion。

`You’resounfortunate，MrMarkham！’observedtheyoungersister，withoneofherarch，sidelongglances。`Papa’sjustgoneoutintotheparish，andnotlikelytobebackforanhour！’

`Nevermind；Icanmanagetospendafewminuteswithhisdaughters，ifthey’llallowme，’saidI，bringingachairtothefire，andseatingmyselftherein，withoutwaitingtobeasked。

`Well，ifyou’llbeverygoodandamusing，weshan’tobject。’

`Letyourpermissionbeunconditional，pray；forIcamenottogivepleasure，buttoseekit，’Ianswered。

However，Ithoughtitbutreasonabletomakesomeslightexertiontorendermycompanyagreeable；andwhatlittleeffortImadewasapparentlyprettysuccessful，forMissElizawasneverinabetterhumour。Weseemed，indeed，tobemutuallypleasedwitheachother，andmanagedtomaintainbetweenusacheerfulandanimated，thoughnotveryprofoundconversation。

Itwaslittlebetterthanatê；te-à；-tê；te，forMissMillwardneveropenedherlips，exceptoccasionallytocorrectsomerandomassertionorexaggeratedexpressionofhersister’s，andoncetoaskhertopickuptheballofcotton，thathadrolledunderthetable。Ididthismyself，however，asindutybound。

`Thankyou，MrMarkham，’saidshe，asIpresentedittoher。`I

wouldhavepickeditupmyself；onlyIdidnotwanttodisturbthecat。’

`Mary，dear，thatwon’texcuseyouinMrMarkham’seyes，’saidEliza；`hehatescats，Idaresay，ascordiallyashedoesoldmaids——likeallothergentlemen——Don’tyou，MrMarkham？’

`Ibelieveitisnaturalforourunamiablesextodislikethecreatures，’repliedI；`foryouladieslavishsomanycaressesuponthem’

`Blessthem——littledarlings！’criedshe，inasuddenburstofenthusiasm，turningroundandoverwhelminghersister’spetwithashowerofkisses。

`Don’t，Eliza！’saidMissMillward，somewhatgrufflyassheimpatientlypushedheraway。

Butitwastimeformetobegoing：makewhathasteIwould，I

shouldstillbetoolatefortea；andmymotherwasthesouloforderandpunctuality。

Myfairfriendwasevidentlyunwillingtobidmeadieu。Itenderlysqueezedherlittlehandatparting；andsherepaidmewithoneofhersoftestsmilesandmostbewitchingglances。Iwenthomeveryhappy，withaheartbrimfulofcomplacencyformyself，andoverflowingwithloveforEliza。

TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter3CHAPTER3AControversyTwodaysafter，MrsGrahamcalledatLinden-Car，contrarytotheexpectationofRose，whoentertainedanideathatthemysteriousoccupantofWildfellHallwouldwhollydisregardthecommonobservancesofcivilizedlife，——inwhichopinionshewassupportedbytheWilsons，whotestifiedthatneithertheircallnortheMillwards’hadbeenreturnedasyet。Now，however，thecauseofthatomissionwasexplained，thoughnotentirelytothesatisfactionofRose。MrsGrahamhadbroughtherchildwithher，andonmymother’sexpressingsurprisethathecouldwalksofar，shereplied，——

`Itisalongwalkforhim；butImusthaveeithertakenhimwithme，orrelinquishedthevisitaltogether：forIneverleavehimalone；

andIthink，MrsMarkham，ImustbegyoutomakemyexcusestotheMillwardsandMrsWilson，whenyouseethem，asIfearIcannotdomyselfthepleasureofcallinguponthemtillmylittleArthurisabletoaccompanyme。’

`Butyouhaveaservant，’saidRose；`couldyounotleavehimwithher？’

`Shehasherownoccupationstoattendto；andbesides，sheistoooldtorunafterachild，andheistoomercurialtobetiedtoanelderlywoman。

`Butyoulefthimtocometochurch。’

`Yes，once；butIwouldnothavelefthimforanyotherpurpose；

andIthink，infuture，Imustcontrivetobringhimwithme，orstayathome。’

`Ishesomischievous？’askedmymother，considerablyshocked。

`No，’repliedthelady，sadlysmiling，asshestrokedthewavylocksofherson，whowasseatedonalowstoolatherfeet，`butheismyonlytreasure；andIamhisonlyfriend，sowedon’tliketobeseparated。’

`Butmydear，Icallthatdoting，’saidmyplain-spokenparent。

`Youshouldtrytosuppresssuchfoolishfondness，aswelltosaveyoursonfromruinasyourselffromridicule。’

`Ruin，MrsMarkham？’

`Yes；itisspoilingthechild。Evenathisage，heoughtnottobealwaystiedtohismother’sapronstring；heshouldlearntobeashamedofit。’

`MrsMarkham，Ibegyouwillnotsaysuchthingsinhispresence，atleast。Itrustmysonwillneverbeashamedtolovehismother！’

saidMrsGraham，withaseriousenergythatstartledthecompany。

Mymotherattemptedtoappeaseherbyanexplanation；butsheseemedtothinkenoughhadbeensaidonthesubject，andabruptlyturnedtheconversation。

`JustasIthought，’saidItomyself：`thelady’stemperisnoneofthemildest，notwithstandinghersweet，palefaceandloftybrow，wherethoughtandsufferingseemequallytohavestampedtheirimpress。’

Allthistime，Iwasseatedatatableontheothersideoftheroom，apparentlyimmersedintheperusalofavolumeofthe`Farmer’sMagazine’，whichIhappenedtohavebeenreadingatthemomentofourvisitor’sarrival；

and，notchoosingtobeovercivil，Ihadmerelybowedassheentered，andcontinuedmyoccupationasbefore。

Inalittlewhile，however，Iwassensiblethatsomeonewasapproachingme，withalight，butslowandhesitatingtread。ItwaslittleArthur，irresistiblyattractedbymydogSancho，thatwaslyingatmyfeet。Onlookingup，Ibeheldhimstandingabouttwoyardsoff，withhisclearblueeyeswistfullygazingonthedog，transfixedtothespot，notbyfearoftheanimal，butbyatimiddisinclinationtoapproachitsmaster。Alittleencouragement，however，inducedhimtocomeforward。Thechild，thoughshy，wasnotsullen。Inaminutehewaskneelingonthecarpet，withhisarmsroundSancho’sneck，andinaminuteortwomore，thelittlefellowwasseatedonmyknee，surveyingwitheagerinterestthevariousspecimensofhorses，cattle，pigs，andmodelfarmsportrayedinthevolumebeforeme。Iglancedathismothernowandthen，toseehowsherelishedthenew-sprungintimacy；andIsaw，bytheunquietaspectofhereye，thatforsomereasonorother，shewasuneasyatthechild’sposition。

`Arthur，’saidshe，atlength，`comehere。YouaretroublesometoMrMarkham：hewishestoread。’

`Bynomeans，MrsGraham；praylethimstay。Iamasmuchamusedasheis，’pleadedI。Butstill，withhandandeye，shesilentlycalledhimtoherside。

`No，mamma，’saidthechild；`letmelookatthesepicturesfirst；

andthenI’llcome，andtellyouallaboutthem。’

`WearegoingtohaveasmallpartyonMonday，thefifthofNovember，’

saidmymother；`andIhopeyouwillnotrefusetomakeone，MrsGraham。

Youcanbringyourlittleboywithyou，youknow——Idaresayweshallbeabletoamusehim；——andthenyoucanmakeyourownapologiestotheMillwardsandWilsons，——theywillallbehereIexpect。’

`Thankyou，Inevergotoparties。’

`Oh！butthiswillbequiteafamilyconcern——earlyhours，andnobodyherebutourselves，andjusttheMillwardsandWilsons，mostofwhomyoualreadyknow，andMrLawrence，yourlandlord，whomyououghttomakeacquaintancewith。’

`Idoknowsomethingofhim——butyoumustexcusemethistime；

fortheevenings，now，aredarkanddamp，andArthur，Ifear，istoodelicatetoriskexposuretotheirinfluencewithimpunity。Wemustdefertheenjoymentofyourhospitality，tillthereturnoflongerdaysandwarmernights。’

Rose，now，atahintfrommymother，producedadecanterofwine，withaccompanimentsofglassesandcake，fromthecupboardundertheoaksideboard，andtherefreshmentwasdulypresentedtotheguests。Theybothpartookofthecake，butobstinatelyrefusedthewine，inspiteoftheirhostess’shospitableattemptstoforceituponthem。Arthur，especially，shrankfromtherubynectarasifinterroranddisgust，andwasreadytocrywhenurgedtotakeit。

`Nevermind，Arthur，’saidhismamma，`MrsMarkhamthinksitwilldoyougood，asyouweretiredwithyourwalk；butshewillnotobligeyoutotakeit；——Idaresayyouwilldoverywellwithout。Hedeteststheverysightofwine，’sheadded，`andthesmellofitalmostmakeshimsick。

Ihavebeenaccustomedtomakehimshallowalittlewineorweakspirits-and-water，bywayofmedicinewhenhewassick，and，infact，Ihavedonewhatcouldtomakehimhatethem。’

Everybodylaughed，excepttheyoungwidowandherson。

`Well，MrsGraham，’saidmymother，wipingthetearsofmerrimentfromherbright，blueeyes——`well，yousurpriseme！Ireallygaveyoucreditforhavingmoresense——Thepoorchildwillbetheveriestmilksopthateverwassopped！Onlythinkwhatamanyouwillmakeofhim，ifyoupersistin——’

`Ithinkitaveryexcellentplan，’interruptedMrsGraham，withimperturbablegravity。`BythatmeansIhopetosavehimfromonedegradingviceatleast。IwishIcouldrendertheincentivestoeveryotherequallyinnoxiousinhiscase。’

`Butbysuchmeans，’saidI，`youwillneverrenderhimvirtuous——Whatisitthatconstitutesvirtue，MrsGraham？Isitthecircumstanceofbeingableandwillingtoresisttemptation；orthatofhavingnotemptationstoresist？——Isheastrongmanthatovercomesgreatobstaclesandperformssurprisingachievements，thoughbydintofgreatmuscularexertion，andattheriskofsomesubsequentfatigue，orhethatsitsinhischairallday，withnothingtodomorelaboriousthanstirringthefire，andcarryinghisfoodtohismouth？Ifyouwouldhaveyoursontowalkhonourablythroughtheworld，youmustnotattempttoclearthestonesfromhispath，butteachhimtowalkfirmlyoverthem——notinsistuponleadinghimbythehand，butlethimlearntogoalone。’

`Iwillleadhimbythehand，MrMarkham，tillhehasstrengthtogoalone；andIwillclearasmanystonesfromhispathasIcan，andteachhimtoavoidtherest——orwalkfirmlyoverthemasyousay；——forwhenIhavedonemyutmost，inthewayofclearance，therewillstillbeplentylefttoexercisealltheagility，steadiness，andcircumspectionhewilleverhave——Itisallverywelltotalkaboutnobleresistance，andtrialsofvirtue；butforfifty——orfivehundredmenthathaveyieldedtotemptation，showmeonethathashadvirtuetoresist。AndwhyshouldItakeitforgrantedthatmysonwillbeoneinathousand？——andnotratherpreparefortheworst，andsupposehewillbelikehis——liketherestofmankind，unlessItakecaretopreventit？’

`Youareverycomplimentarytousall，’Iobserved。