第5章

MyElizawascharmingbeyonddescription，coquettishwithoutaffectation，andevidentlymoredesiroustoengagemyattentionthanthatofalltheroombesides。Herdelightinhavingmenearher，seatedorstandingbyherside，whisperinginherear，orpressingherhandinthedance，wasplainlylegibleinherglowingfaceandheavingbosom，howeverbeliedbysaucywordsandgestures。ButIhadbetterholdmytongue：ifIboastofthesethingsnow，Ishallhavetoblushhereafter。

Toproceedthen，withthevariousindividualsofourparty；Rosewassimpleandnaturalasusual，andfullofmirthandvivacity。

Ferguswasimpertinentandabsurd；buthisimpertinenceandfollyservedtomakeotherslaugh，iftheydidnotraisehimselfintheirestimation。

Andfinally(forIomitmyself)，MrLawrencewasgentlemanlyandinoffensivetoall，andpolitetothevicarandtheladies，especiallyhishostessandherdaughter，andMissWilson——misguidedman；hehadnotthetastetopreferElizaMillward。MrLawrenceandIwereontolerablyintimateterms。Essentiallyofreservedhabits，andbutseldomquittingthesecludedplaceofhisbirth，wherehehadlivedinsolitarystatesincethedeathofhisfather，hehadneithertheopportunitynortheinclinationforformingmanyacquaintances；and，ofallhehadeverknown，I(judgingbytheresults)wasthecompanionmostagreeabletohistaste。Ilikedthemanwellenough，buthewastoocold，andshy，andself-contained，toobtainmycordialsympathies。Aspiritofcandourandfrankness，whenwhollyunaccompaniedwithcoarseness，headmiredinothers，buthecouldnotacquireithimself。Hisexcessivereserveuponallhisownconcernswas，indeed，provokingandchillyenough；butIforgaveit，fromaconvictionthatitoriginated，lessinprideandwantofconfidenceinhisfriends，thaninacertainmorbidfeelingofdelicacy，andapeculiardiffidence，thathewassensibleof，butwantedenergytoovercome。

Hisheartwaslikeasensitiveplant，thatopensforamomentinthesunshine，butcurlsupandshrinksintoitselfattheslightesttouchofthefinger，orthelightestbreathofwind。And，uponthewhole，ourintimacywasratheramutualpredilectionthanadeepandsolidfriendship，suchashassincearisenbetweenmyselfandyou，Halford，whom，inspiteofyouroccasionalcrustiness，Icanlikentonothingsowellasanoldcoat，unimpeachableintexture，buteasyandloose——thathasconformeditselftotheshapeofthewearer，andwhichhemayuseashepleases，withoutbeingbotheredwiththefearofspoilingit；——whereasMrLawrencewaslikeanewgarment，allveryneatandtrimtolookat，butsotightintheelbowsthatyouwouldfeartosplittheseamsbytheunrestrictedmotionofyourarms，andsosmoothandfineinsurfacethatyouscrupletoexposeittoasingledropofrain。

Soonafterthearrivaloftheguests，mymothermentionedMrsGraham，regrettedshewasnottheretomeetthem，andexplainedtotheMillwardsandWilsonsthereasonsshehadgivenforneglectingtoreturntheircalls，hopingtheywouldexcuseher，asshewassureshedidnotmeantobeuncivil，andwouldbegladtoseethematanytime；——

`Butsheisaverysingularlady，MrLawrence，’addedshe；`wedon’tknowwhattomakeofher——butIdaresayyoucantellussomethingabouther；forsheisyourtenant，youknow，——andshesaidsheknewyoualittle。’

AlleyeswereturnedtoMrLawrence。Ithoughthelookedunnecessarilyconfusedatbeingsoappealedto。

`I，MrsMarkham！’saidhe，`youaremistaken——Idon’t——thatis——I

haveseenhercertainly；butIamthelastpersonyoushouldapplytoforinformationrespectingMrsGraham。’

HethenimmediatelyturnedtoRose，andaskedhertofavourthecompanywithasong，oratuneonthepiano。

`No，’saidshe；`youmustaskMissWilson：sheoutshinesusallinsinging，andmusictoo。’

MissWilsondemurred。

`She’llsingreadilyenough，’saidFergus，`ifyou’llundertaketostandbyher，MrLawrence，andturnovertheleavesforher。’

`Ishallbemosthappytodoso。MissWilson，willyouallowme？’

Shebridledherlongneckandsmiled，andsufferedhimtoleadhertotheinstrument，wheresheplayedandsang，inherverybeststyle，onepieceafteranother；whilehestoodpatientlyby，leaningonehandonthebackofherchair，andturningovertheleavesofherbookwiththeother。Perhapshewasasmuchcharmedwithherperformanceasshewas。

Itwasallveryfineinitsway；butIcannotsaythatitmovedmeverydeeply。Therewasplentyofskillandexecution，butpreciouslittlefeeling。

ButwehadnotdonewithMrsGrahamyet。

`Idon’ttakewine，MrsMarkham，’saidMrMillward，upontheintroductionofthatbeverage；`I’lltakealittleofyourhome-brewedale。Ialwayspreferyourhome-brewedtoanythingelse。’

Flatteredatthiscompliment，mymotherrangthebell，andachinajugofourbestalewaspresentlybrought，andsetbeforetheworthygentlemanwhosowellknewhowtoappreciateitsexcellencies。

`NowTHISisthething！’criedhe，pouringoutaglassofthesameinalongstream，skilfullydirectedfromthejugtothetumbler，soastoproducemuchfoamwithoutspillingadrop；and，havingsurveyeditforamomentoppositethecandle，hetookadeepdraught，andthensmackedhislips，drewalongbreath，andrefilledhisglass，mymotherlookingonwiththegreatestsatisfaction。

`There’snothinglikethis，MrsMarkham！’saidhe；`Ialwaysmaintainthatthere’snothingtocomparewithyourhome-brewedale。’

`I’msureI’mgladyoulikeit，sir。Ialwayslookafterthebrewingmyself，aswellasthecheeseandthebutter——Iliketohavethingswelldone，whilewe’reaboutit。’

`Quiteright，MrsMarkham！’

`Butthen，MrMillward，youdon’tthinkitwrongtotakealittlewinenowandthen——oralittlespiritseither？’saidmymother，asshehandedasmoKingtumblerofginandwatertoMrsWilson，whoaffirmedthatwinesatheavyonherstomach，andwhosesonRobertwasatthatmomenthelpinghimselftoaprettystiffglassofthesame。

`Bynomeans！’repliedtheoracle，withaJove-likenod；`thesethingsareallblessingsandmercies，ifweonlyknewhowtomakeuseofthem。’

`ButMrsGrahamdoesn’tthinkso。Youshalljusthearnow，whatshetoldustheotherday——ItoldherI’dtellyou。’

Andmymotherfavouredthecompanywithaparticularaccountofthatlady’smistakenideasandconductregardingthematterinhand，concludingwith，`Nowdon’tyouthinkitiswrong？’

`Wrong！’repeatedthevicar，withmorethancommonsolemnity——`criminal，Ishouldsay——criminal！——Notonlyisitmakingafooloftheboy，butitisdespisingthegiftsofprovidence，andteachinghimtotramplethemunderhisfeet。’

Hethenenteredmorefullyintothequestion，andexplainedatlargethefollyandimpietyofsuchaproceeding。Mymotherheardhimwithprofoundestreverence；andevenMrsWilsonvouchsafedtoresthertongueforamoment，andlisteninsilence，whileshecomplacentlysippedherginandwater。MrLawrencesatwithhiselbowonthetable，carelesslyplayingwithhishalf-emptywine-glass，andcovertlysmilingtohimself。

`Butdon’tyouthink，MrMillward，’suggestedhe，whenatlengththatgentlemanpausedinhisdiscourse，`thatwhenachildmaybenaturallypronetointemperance——bythefaultofitsparentsorancestors，forinstance——someprecautionsareadvisable？’(NowitwasgenerallybelievedthatMrLawrence’sfatherhadshortenedhisdaysbyintemperance。)

`Someprecautions，itmaybe；buttemperance，sir，isonething，andabstinenceanother。’

`ButIhaveheardthat，withsomepersons，temperance——thatismoderation——isalmostimpossible；andifabstinencebeanevil(whichsomehavedoubted)，noonewilldenythatexcessisagreater。Someparentshaveentirelyprohibitedtheirchildrenfromtastingintoxicatingliquors；

butaparent’sauthoritycannotlistforever：childrenarenaturallypronetohankerafterforbiddenthings；andachild，insuchacase，wouldbelikelytohaveastrongcuriositytotaste，andtrytheeffectofwhathasbeensolaudedandenjoyedbyothers，sostrictlyforbiddentohimself——whichcuriositywouldgenerallybegratifiedonthefirstconvenientopportunity；

andtherestraintoncebroken，seriousconsequencesmightensue。Idon’tpretendtobeajudgeofsuchmatters，butitseemstome，thatthisplanofMrsGraham’s，asyoudescribeit，MrsMarkham，extraordinaryasitmaybe，isnotwithoutitsadvantages；forhereyousee，thechildisdeliveredatoncefromtemptation；hehasnosecretcuriosity，nohankeringdesire；

heisaswellacquaintedwiththetemptingliquorsasheeverwishestobe；andisthoroughlydisgustedwiththemwithouthavingsufferedfromtheireffects。’

`Andisthatright，sir？’HaveInotproventoyouhowwrongitis——howcontrarytoScriptureandtoreasontoteachachildtolookwithcontemptanddisgustupontheblessingsofprovidence，insteadoftousethemaright？’

`Youmayconsiderlaudanumablessingofprovidence，sir，’repliedMrLawrence，smiling；`andyet，youwillallowthatmostofushadbetterabstainfromit，eveninmoderation；but，’addedhe，`Iwouldnotdesireyoutofollowoutmysimiletooclosely——inwitnesswhereofIfinishmyglass。’

`AndtakeanotherIhope，MrLawrence，’saidmymother，pushingthebottletowardshim。

Hepolitelydeclined，andpushinghischairalittlewayfromthetable，leantbacktowardsme——Iwasseatedatriflebehind，onthesofabesideElizaMillward——andcarelesslyaskedmeifIknewMrsGraham。

`Ihavemetheronceortwice，’Ireplied。`Whatdoyouthinkofher？’

`IcannotsaythatIlikehermuch。Sheishandsome——orratherIshouldsaydistinguishedandinteresting——inherappearance，butbynomeansamiable——awomanliabletotakestrongprejudices，Ishouldfancy，andsticktothemthroughthickandthin，twistingeverythingintoconformitywithherownpreconceivedopinions——toohard，toosharp，toobitterformytaste。’

Hemadenoreply，butlookeddownandbithislip，andshortlyafterroseandsauntereduptoMissWilson，asmuchrepelledbyme，Ifancy，asattractedbyher。Iscarcelynoticeditatthetime，butafterwards，Iwasledtorecallthisandothertriflingfacts，ofasimilarnature，tomyremembrance，when——butImustnotanticipate。

Wewounduptheeveningwithdancing——ourworthypastorthinkingitnoscandaltobepresentontheoccasion，thoughoneofthevillagemusicianswasengagedtodirectourevolutions’withhisviolin。ButMaryMillwardobstinatelyrefusedtojoinus；andsodidRichardWilson，thoughmymotherearnestlyentreatedhimtodoso，andevenofferedtobehispartner。

Wemanagedverywellwithoutthem，however。Withasinglesetofquadrilles，andseveralcountrydances，wecarrieditontoaprettylatehour；andatlength，havingcalleduponourmusiciantostrikeupawaltz，IwasjustabouttowhirlElizaroundinthatdelightfuldance，accompaniedbyLawrenceandJaneWilson，andFergusandRose，whenMrMillwardinterposedwith，——

`No，no，Idon’tallowthat！Come，it’stimetobegoingnow。’

`Oh，no，papal’pleadedEliza。

`Hightime，mygirl——hightime！——Moderationinallthings，remember！

That’stheplan——“letyourmoderationbeknownuntoallmen“！’5

Butinrevenge，IfollowedElizaintothedimly-lightedpassage，whereunderpretenceofhelpingheronwithhershawl，IfearImustpleadguiltytosnatchingakissbehindherfather’sback，whilehewasenvelopinghisthroatandchininthefoldsofamightycomforter。Butalas！inturninground，therewasmymotherclosebesideme。Theconsequencewas，thatnosoonerweretheguestsdeparted，thanIwasdoomedtoaveryseriousremonstrance，whichunpleasantlycheckedthegallopingcourseofmyspirits，andmadeadisagreeableclosetotheevening。

`MydearGilbert，’saidshe，`Iwishyouwouldn’tdoso！YouknowhowdeeplyIhaveyouradvantageatheart，howIloveyouandprizeyouaboveeverythingelseintheworld，andhowmuchIlongtoseeyouwellsettledinlife——andhowbitterlyitwouldgrievemetoseeyoumarriedtothatgirl——oranyotherintheneighbourhood。WhatyouseeinherI

don’tknow。Itisn’tonlythewantofmoneythatIthinkabout——nothingofthekind——butthere’sneitherbeauty，norcleverness，norgoodness，noranythingelsethat’sdesirable。IfyouknewyourownvalueasIdo，youwouldn’tdreamofit。Dowaitawhileandsee！ifyoubindyourselftoher，you’llrepentitallyourlifetimewhenyoulookroundyouandseehowmanybetterthereare。Takemywordforit，youwill。’