第4章

`Iknownothingaboutyou——IspeakofthoseIdoknow——andwhenIseethewholeraceofmankind(withafewrareexceptions)stumblingandblunderingalongthepathoflife，sinkingintoeverypitfall，andbreakingtheirshinsovereveryimpedimentthatliesintheirway，shallInotuseallthemeansinmypowertoensureforhim，asmootherandasaferpassage？’

`Yes，butthesurestmeanswillbetoendeavourtofortifyhimagainsttemptation，nottoremoveitoutofhisway。

`Iwilldoboth，MrMarkham。Godknowshewillhavetemptationsenoughtoassailhim，bothfromwithinandwithout，whenIhavedoneallIcantorenderviceasuninvitingtohim，asitisabominableinitsownnature——Imyselfhavehad，indeed，butfewincentivestowhattheworldcallsvice，butyet，Ihaveexperiencedtemptationsandtrialsofanotherkind，thathaverequired，onmanyoccasions，morewatchfulnessandfirmnesstoresist，thanIhavehithertobeenabletomusteragainstthem。Andthis，Ibelieve，iswhatmostotherswouldacknowledge，whoareaccustomedtoreflection，andwishfultostriveagainsttheirnaturalcorruptions。’

`Yes，’saidmymother，buthalfapprehendingherdrift；`butyouwouldnotjudgeofaboybyyourself——andmydearMrsGraham，letmewarnyouingoodtimeagainsttheerror——thefatalerror，Imaycallit——oftakingthatboy’seducationuponyourself——Becauseyouareclever，insomethings，andwellinformed，youmayfancyyourselfequaltothetask；

butindeedyouarenot；and，ifyoupersistintheattempt，believeme，youwillbitterlyrepentitwhenthemischiefisdone。’

`Iamtosendhimtoschool，Isuppose，tolearntodespisehismother’sauthorityandaffection！’saidthelady，witharatherbittersmile。

`Oh，no！——Butifyouwouldhaveaboytodespisehismother，letherkeephimathome，andspendherlifeinpettinghimup，andslavingtoindulgehisfolliesandcaprices。’

`Iperfectlyagreewithyou，MrsMarkham；butnothingcanbefurtherfrommyprinciplesandpracticethansuchcriminalweaknessasthat。’

`Well，butyouwilltreathimlikeagirl——you’llspoilhisspirit，andmakeamereMissNancyofhim——youwillindeed，MrsGraham，whateveryoumaythink——ButI’llgetMrMillwardtotalktoyouaboutit：——he’lltellyoutheconsequences；——he’llsetitbeforeyouasplainastheday；——andtellyouwhatyououghttodo，andallaboutit；——and，Idon’tdoubt，he’llbeabletoconvinceyouinaminute。’

`Nooccasiontotroublethevicar，’saidMrsGraham，glancingatme——IsupposeIwassmilingatmymother’sunboundedconfidenceinthatworthygentleman——`MrMarkhamherethinkshispowersofconvictionatleastequaltoMrMillward’s。IfIhearnothim，neithershouldIbeconvincedthoughonerosefromthedead，3hewouldtellyou——Well，MrMarkham，youthatmaintainthataboyshouldnotbeshieldedfromevil，butsentouttobattleagainstit，aloneandunassisted——nottaughttoavoidthesnaresoflife，butboldlytorushintothem，oroverthem，ashemay——toseekdangerratherthanshunit，andfeedhisvirtuebytemptation，——wouldyou——’

`Ibegyourpardon，MrsGraham——butyougetontoofast。Ihavenotyetsaidthataboyshouldbetaughttorushintothesnaresoflife，——orevenwilfullytoseektemptationforthesakeofexercisinghisvirtuebyovercomingit；——Ionlysaythatitisbettertoarmandstrengthenyourhero，thantodisarmandenfeeblethefoe；——andifyouweretorearanoaksaplinginahothouse，tendingitcarefullynightandday，andshieldingitfromeverybreathofwind，youcouldnotexpectittobecomeahardytree，likethatwhichhasgrownuponthemountain-side，exposedtoalltheactionoftheelements，andnotevenshelteredfromtheshockofthetempest。’

`Granted；——butwouldyouusethesameargumentwithregardtoagirl？’

`Certainlynot。’

`No；youwouldhavehertobetenderlyanddelicatelynurtured，likeahothouseplant——taughttoclingtoothersfordirectionandsupport，andguarded，asmuchaspossible，fromtheveryknowledgeofevil。Butwillyoubesogoodastoinformmewhyyoumakethisdistinction？Isitthatyouthinkshehasnovirtue？’

`Assuredlynot。’

`Well，butyouaffirmthatvirtueisonlyelicitedbytemptation；——andyouthinkthatawomancannotbetoolittleexposedtotemptation，ortoolittleacquaintedwithvice，oranythingconnectedtherewith——Itmustbe，either，thatyouthinksheisessentiallysovicious，orsofeeble-minded，thatshecannotwithstandtemptation，——andthoughshemaybepureandinnocentaslongassheiskeptinignoranceandrestraint，yet，beingdestituteofrealvirtue，toteachherhowtosinisatoncetomakeherasinner，andthegreaterherknowledge，thewiderherliberty，thedeeperwillbeherdepravity，——whereas，inthenoblersex，thereisanaturaltendencytogoodness，guardedbyasuperiorfortitude，which，themoreitisexercisedbytrialsanddangers，isonlythefurtherdeveloped——’

`HeavenforbidthatIshouldthinkso！’Iinterrupted，atlast。

`Wellthen，itmustbethatyouthinktheyarebothweakandpronetoerr，andtheslightesterror，themerestshadowofpollution，willruintheone，whilethecharacteroftheotherwillbestrengthenedandembellished——hiseducationproperlyfinishedbyalittlepracticalacquaintancewithforbiddenthings。Suchexperience，tohim，(touseatritesimile)willbelikethestormtotheoak，which，thoughitmayscattertheleaves，andsnapthesmallerbranches，servesbuttorivettheroots，andtohardenandcondensethefibresofthetree。Youwouldhaveusencourageoursonstoproveallthingsbytheirownexperience，whileourdaughtersmustnotevenprofitbytheexperienceofothers。NowIwouldhavebothsotobenefitbytheexperienceofothers，andthepreceptsofahigherauthority，thattheyshouldknowbeforehandtorefusetheevilandchoosethegood，andrequirenoexperimentalproofstoteachthemtheeviloftransgression。Iwouldnotsendapoorgirlintotheworldunarmedagainstherfoes，andignorantofthesnaresthatbesetherpath；——norwouldI

watchandguardher，till，deprivedofself-respectandself-reliance，shelostthepower，orthewill，towatchandguardherself；——andasformyson——ifIthoughthewouldgrowuptobewhatyoucallamanoftheworld——onethathas“seenlife。”andgloriesinhisexperience，eventhoughheshouldsofarprofitbyit，astosoberdown，atlength，intoausefulandrespectedmemberofsociety——Iwouldratherthathediedtomorrow！——ratherathousandtimes！’sheearnestlyrepeated，pressingherdarlingtohersideandkissinghisforeheadwithintenseaffection。Hehad，already，lefthisnewcompanion，andbeenstandingforsometimebesidehismother’sknee，lookingupintoherface，andlisteninginsilentwondertoherincomprehensiblediscourse。

`Well！youladiesmustalwayshavethelastword，Isuppose，saidI，observingherriseandbegintotakeleaveofmymother。

`Youmayhaveasmanywordsasyouplease，——onlyIcan’tstaytohearthem。’

`No；thatistheway：youhearjustasmuchofanargumentasyouplease；andtherestmaybespokentothewind。’

`Ifyouareanxioustosayanythingmoreonthesubject，’repliedshe，assheshookhandswithRose，`youmustbringyoursistertoseemesomefineday，andI’lllisten，aspatientlyasyoucouldwish，towhateveryoupleasetosay。Iwouldratherbelecturedbyyouthanthevicar，becauseIshouldhavelessremorseintellingyou，attheendofthediscourse，that，Ipreservemyownopinionpreciselythesameasatthebeginning——aswouldbethecase，Iampersuaded，withregardtoeitherlogician。’

`Yes，ofcourse，’repliedI，determinedtobeasprovokingasherself；`for，whenaladydoesconsenttolistentoanargumentagainstherownopinions，sheisalwayspredeterminedtowithstandittolistenonlywithherbodilyears，keepingthementalorgansresolutelyclosedagainstthestrongestreasoning。’

`Goodmorning，MrMarkham，’saidmyfairantagonist，withapityingsmile；anddeigningnofurtherrejoinder，sheslightlybowed，andwasabouttowithdraw；butherson，withchildishimpertinence，arrestedherbyexclaiming，——

`Mamma，youhavenotshakenhandswithMrMarkham！’

Shelaughinglyturnedround，andheldoutherhand。Igaveitaspitefulsqueeze；forIwasannoyedatthecontinualinjusticeshehaddonemefromtheverydawnofouracquaintance，Withoutknowinganythingaboutmyrealdispositionandprinciples，shegasevidentlyprejudicedagainstme，andseemedbentuponshowingmethatheropinionsrespectingme，oneveryparticular，fellfarbelowthoseIentertainedofmyself。

Iwasnaturallytouchy，oritwouldnothavevexedmesomuch。Perhaps，too，Iwasalittlebitspoiledbymymotherandsister，andsomeotherladiesofmyacquaintance；——andyet，Iwasbynomeansafop——ofthatI

amfullyconvinced，whetheryouareornot。

TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter4CHAPTER4ThePartyOURparty，onthefifthofNovember，passedoffverywellinspiteofMrsGraham’srefusaltograceitwithherpresence。Indeed，itisprobablethat，hadshebeenthere，therewouldhavebeenlesscordiality，freedom，andfrolicamongstusthantherewaswithouther。

Mymother，asusual，wascheerfulandchatty，fullofactivityandgoodnature，andonlyfaultyinbeingtooanxioustomakeherguestshappy，therebyforcingseveralofthemtodowhattheirsoulabhorred，inthewayofeatingordrinking，sittingoppositetheblazingfire，ortalkingwhentheywouldbesilent。Nevertheless，theyboreitverywell，beingallintheirholidayhumours。

MrMillwardwasmightyinimportantdogmasandsententiousjokes，pompousanecdotes，andoraculardiscourses，dealtoutfortheedificationofthewholeassemblyingeneral，andoftheadmiringMrsMarkham，thepoliteMrLawrence，thesedateMaryMillward，thequietRichardWilson，andthematteroffactRobert，inparticular，——asbeingthemostattentivelisteners。

MrsWilsonwasmorebrilliantthanever，withherbudgetsoffreshnewsandoldscandal，strungtogetherwithtrivialquestionsandremarks，andoft-repeatedobservations，utteredapparentlyforthesolepurposeofdenyingamoment’sresttoherinexhaustibleorgansofspeech。Shehadbroughtherknittingwithher，anditseemedasifhertonguehadlaidawagerwithherfingerstooutdotheminswiftandceaselessmotion。

HerdaughterJanewas，ofcourse，asgracefulandelegant，aswittyandseductiveasshecouldpossiblymanagetobe；forherewerealltheladiestooutshine，andallthegentlementocharm，——andMrLawrence，especially，tocaptureandsubdue。Herlittleartstoeffecthissubjugationweretoosubtleandimpalpabletoattractmyobservation；butIthoughttherewasacertainrefinedaffectationofsuperiority，andanungenialself-consciousnessabouther，thatnegativedallheradvantages，andaftershewasgone，Roseinterpretedtomehervariouslooks，words，andactionswithamingledacutenessandasperitythatmademewonder，equally，atthelady’sartificeandmysister’spenetration，andaskmyselfifshetoohadaneyetothesquire——butnevermind，Halford；shehadnot。

RichardWilson，Jane’syoungerbrother，satinacorner，apparentlygood-tempered，butsilentandshy，desiroustoescapeobservation，butwillingenoughtolistenandobserve：and，althoughsomewhatoutofhiselement，hewouldhavebeenhappyenoughinhisownquietway，ifmymothercouldonlyhavelethimalone，hutinhermistakenkindness，shewouldkeeppersecutinghimwithherattentions——pressinguponhimallmannerofviands，underthenotionthathewastoobashfultohelphimself，andobliginghimtoshoutacrosstheroomhismonosyllabicrepliestothenumerousquestionsandobservationsbywhichshevainlyattemptedtodrawhimintoconversation。

Roseinformedmethatheneverwouldhavefavoureduswithhiscompany，butfortheimportunitiesofhissisterJane，whowasmostanxioustoshowMrLawrencethatshehadatleastonebrothermoregentlemanlyandrefinedthanRobert。Thatworthyindividualshehadbeenequallysolicitoustokeepaway；butheaffirmedthathesawnoreasonwhyheshouldnotenjoyacrackwithMarkhamandtheoldlady(mymotherwasnotoldreally)，andbonnyMissRoseandtheparson，aswellasthebest；——andhe——wasintherightofittoo。Sohetalkedcommon-placewithmymotherandRose，anddiscussedparishaffairswiththevicar，farmingmatterswithme，andpoliticswithusboth。

MaryMillwardwasanothermute，——notsomuchtormentedwithcruelkindnessasDickWilson，becauseshehadacertainshort，decidedwayofansweringandrefusing，andwassupposedtoberathersullenthandiffident。

Howeverthatmightbe，shecertainlydidnotgivemuchpleasuretothecompany；——nordidsheappeartoderivemuchfromit。Elizatoldmeshehadonlycomebecauseherfatherinsisteduponit，havingtakenitintohisheadthatshedevotedherselftooexclusivelytoherhouseholdduties，tot！ieneglectofsuchrelaxationsandinnocentenjoymentsaswerepropertoherageandsex。Sheseemed，tome，tobegood-humouredenoughonthewhole。Onceortwiceshewasprovokedlaughterbythewit，orthemerrimentofsomefavouredindividualamongstus；andthenIobservedshesoughttheeyeofRichardWilson，whosatoveragainsther。Ashestudiedwithherfather，shehadsomeacquaintancewithhim，inspiteoftheretiringhabitsofboth，andIsupposetherewasakindoffellow-feelingestablishedbetweenthem。