第8章

`Ibegyourpardon！’exclaimedhe——`It’stheladiesthatareaccompanyingme，notIthem。Youhadallhadapeepatthiswonderfulstranger，butme，andIcouldenduremywretchedignorancenolonger——comewhatwould，Imustbesatisfied；soIbeggedRosetogowithmetothehall，andintroducemetoheratonce。Shesworeshewouldnot，unlessMissElizawouldgotoo；soIrantothevicarageandfetchedher；andwe’vecomehookedalltheway，asfondasapairoflovers——andnowyou’vetakenherfromme；andyouwanttodeprivemeofmywalkandmyvisitbesides——Gobacktoyourfieldsandyourcattle，youlubberlyfellow；you’renotfittoassociatewithladiesandgentlemen，likeus，thathavenothingtodobuttorunsnookingabouttoourneighbours’houses，peepingintotheirprivatecorners；andscentingouttheirsecrets，andpickingholesintheircoats，whenwedon’tfindthemreadymadetoourhands——youdon’tunderstandsuchrefinedsourcesofenjoyment。’

`Can’tyoubothgo？’suggestedEliza，disregardingthelatterhalfofthespeech。

`Yes，bothtobesure！’criedRose；`themorethemerrier——andI’msureweshallwantallthecheerfulnesswecancarrywithustothatgreat，dark，gloomyroom，withitsnarrowlatticedwindows，anditsdismaloldfurniture——unlesssheshowsusintoherstudioagain。’

Sowewentallinabody；andthemeagreoldmaidservant，thatopenedthedoor，usheredusintoanapartment，suchasRosehaddescribedtomeasthesceneofherfirstintroductiontoMrsGraham，atolerablyspaciousandloftyroom，butobscurelylightedbytheold-fashionedwindows，theceiling，panels，andchimney-pieceofgrimblackoak——thelatterelaborately，butnotverytastefullycarved，——withtablesandchairstomatch，anoldbookcaseononesideofthefireplace，stockedwithamotleyassemblageofbooks，andanelderlycabinetpianoontheother。

Theladywasseatedinastiff，high-backedarmchair，withasmall，roundtable，containingadeskandaworkbasket，ononesideofher，andherlittleboyontheother，whostoodleaninghiselbowonherknee，andreadingtoher，withwonderfulfluency，fromasmallvolumethatlayinherlap；whilesherestedherhandonhisshoulder，andabstractedlyplayedwiththelong，wavycurlsthatfellonhisivoryneck。Theystruckmeasformingapleasingcontrasttoallthesurroundingobjects；butofcoursetheirpositionwasimmediatelychangedonourentrance；IcouldonlyobservethepictureduringthefewbriefsecondsthatRachelheldthedoorforouradmittance。

IdonotthinkMrsGrahamwasparticularlydelightedtoseeus：

therewassomethingindescribablychillyinherquiet，calmcivility；butIdidnottalkmuchtoher。Seatingmyselfnearthewindow，alittlebackfromthecircle，IcalledArthurtome，andheandI，andSancho，amusedourselvesverypleasantlytogether，whilethetwoyoungladiesbaitedhismotherwithsmalltalk，andFergussatopposite，withhislegscrossed，andhishandsinhisbreechespockets，leaningbackinhischair，andstaringnowupattheceiling，now`straightforwardathishostess(inamannerthatmademestronglyinclinedtokickhimoutoftheroom)，nowwhistlingsottovocetohimselfasnatchofafavouriteair，nowinterruptingtheconversation，orfillingupapause(asthecasemightbe)withsolemostimpertinentquestionorremark。Atonetimeitwas——

`Itamazesme，MrsGraham，bowyoucouldchoosesuchadilapidated，rickettyoldplaceasthistolivein。Ifyoucouldn’taffordtooccupythewholehouse，andhaveitmendedup，whycouldn’tyoutakeaneatlittlecottage？’

`PerhapsIwastooproud，MrFergus，’repliedshe，smiling；`perhapsItookaparticularfancyforthisromantic，old。fashionedplace——butindeed，ithasmanyadvantagesoveracottage——inthefirstplace，yousee，theroomsarelargerandmoreairy；inthesecondplace，theunoccupiedapartments，whichIdon’tpayfor，mayserveaslumber-rooms，ifIhaveanythingtoputinthem；andtheyareveryusefulformylittleboytorunaboutinonrainydayswhenhecan’tgoout；andthen，thereisthegardenforhimtoplayin，andformetoworkin。YouseeIhaveeffectedsomelittleimprovementalready，’continuedshe，turningtothewindow。`Thereisabedofyoungvegetablesinthatcorner，andherearesomesnowdropsandprimrosesalreadyinbloom——andthere，too，isayellowcrocusjustopeninginthesunshine。’

`Butthen，howcanyoubearsuchasituation——yournearestneighbourstwomilesdistant，andnobodylookinginorpassingby？——Rosewouldgostarkmadinsuchaplace。Shecan’tputonlifeunlesssheseeshalfadozenfreshgownsandbonnetsaday——nottospeakofthefaceswithin；

butyoumightsitwatchingatthesewindowsalldaylong，andneverseesomuchasanoldwomancarryinghereggstomarket，’

`Iamnotsurethelonelinessoftheplacewasnotoneofitschiefrecommendations——Itakenopleasureinwatchingpeoplepassthewindows；

andIliketobequiet。’

`Oh！asgoodastosay，youwishwewouldallofusmindourownbusiness，andletyoualone。’

`No，Idislikeanextensiveacquaintance；butifIhaveafewfriends，ofcourseIamgladtoseethemoccasionally。Noonecanbehappyineternalsolitude。Therefore，MrFergus，ifyouchoosetoentermyhouseasafriend，Iwillmakeyouwelcome；ifnot，Imustconfess，Iwouldratheryoukeptaway。’ShethenturnedandaddressedsomeobservationtoRoseorEliza。

`And，MrsGraham，’saidhe，again，fiveminutesafter，`weweredisputing，aswecamealong，aquestionthatyoucanreadilydecideforus，asitmainlyregardedyourself——andindeed，weoftenholddiscussionsaboutyou；forsomeofushavenothingbettertodothantotalkaboutourneighbours’concerns，andwe，theindigenousplantsofthesoil，haveknowneachothersolong，andtalkedeachotheroversooften，thatwearequitesickofthatgame；sothatastrangercomingamongstusmakesaninvaluableadditiontoourexhaustedsourcesofamusement，Well，thequestion，orquestions，youarerequestedtosolve——`’

`Holdyourtongue，Fergus！’criedRose，inafeverofapprehensionandwrath。

`Iwon’t，Itellyou。Thequestionsyouarerequestedtosolvearethese：——first，concerningyourbirth，extraction，andpreviousresidence。

Somewillhaveitthatyouareaforeigner，andsomeanEnglishwoman；someanativeofthenorthcountry，andsomeofthesouth；somesay——`’

`Well，MrFergus，I’lltellyou。I’manEnglishwoman——andIdon’tseewhyanyoneshoulddoubtit——andIwasborninthecountryneitherintheextremenorthnorsouthofourhappyisle；andinthecountryIhavechieflypassedmylife，andnow，Ihope，youaresatisfied；forIamnotdisposedtoansweranymorequestionsatpresent。’

`Exceptthis——`’

`No，notonemore！’laughedshe，andinstantlyquittingherseat，shesoughtrefugeatthewindowbywhichIwasseated，and，inverydesperation，toescapemybrother’spersecutions，endeavouredtodrawmeintoconversation。

`MrMarkham，’saidshe，herrapidutteranceandheightenedcolourtooplainlyevincingherdisquietude，`haveyouforgottenthefineseaviewwewerespeakingofsometimeago？IthinkImusttroubleyou，now，totellmethenearestwaytoit；forifthisbeautifulweathercontinue，Ishall，perhaps，beabletowalkthere，andtakemysketch；Ihaveexhaustedeveryothersubjectforpainting；andIlongtoseeit。’

Iwasabouttocomplywithherrequest；butRosewouldnotsuffermetoproceed。

`Oh，don’ttellher，Gilbert！’criedshe；`sheshallgowithus。

It’s——Bayyouarethinkingabout，Isuppose，MrsGraham。Itisaverylongwalk，toofarforyou，andoutofthequestionforArthur。Butweweretagaboutmakingapicnictoseeit，somefineday；and，ifyouwillwaittillthesettledfineweathercomes，I’msureweshallallbedelightedtohaveyouamongstus。’

PoorMrsGrahamlookeddismayed，andattemptedtomakeexcuses，butRose，eithercompassionatingherlonelylife，oranxioustocultivateheracquaintance，wasdeterminedtohaveher：andeveryobjectionwasoverruled，Shewastolditwouldonlybeasmallparty，andallfriends，andthatthebestviewofallwasfrom——cliffs，fullfivemilesdistant。

`Justanicewalkforthegentlemen，’continuedRose；`buttheladieswilldriveandwalkbyturns；forweshallhaveourponycarriage，whichwillbeplentylargeenoughtocontainlittleArthurandthreeladies，togetherwithyoursketchingapparatus，andourprovisions。’

Sotheproposalwasfinallyaccededto；and，aftersomefurtherdonrespeCtingthetimeandmanneroftheprojectedexcursion，werose，andtookourleave。

ButthiswasonlyMarch：acold，wetApril，andtwoweeksofMaypassedoverbeforewecouldventureforthonourexpeditionwiththereasonablehopeofobtainingthatpleasurewesoughtinpleasantprospects，cheerfulsociety，freshair，goodcheer，andexercise，withoutthealloyofbadroads，coldwinds，orthreateningclouds。Then，onagloriousmorning，wegatheredourforcesandsetforth。ThecompanyconsistedofMrsandMasterGraham，MaryandElizaMillward，JaneandRichardWilson，andRose，Fergus，andGilbertMarkham。

MrLawrencehadbeeninvitedtojoinus，but，forsomereasonbestknowntohimself，hadrefusedtogiveushiscompany。Ihadsolicitedthefavourmyself。WhenIdidso，hehesitated，andaskedwhoweregoing。

UponmynamingMissWilsonamongtherest，heseemedhalfinclinedtogo，butwhenImentionedMrsGraham，thinkingitmightbeafurtherinducement，itappearedtohaveacontraryeffect，andhedeclineditaltogether，and，toconfessthetruth，thedecisionwasnotdispleasingtome，thoughI

couldscarcelytellyouwhy。

Itwasaboutmiddaywhenwereachedtheplaceofourdestination。

MrsGrahamwalkedallthewaytothecliffs；andlittleArthurwalkedthegreaterpartofittoo；forhewasnowmuchmorehardyandactive，thanwhenhefirstenteredtheneighbourhood，andhedidnotlikebeinginthecarriagewithstrangers，whileallhisfourfriends，Mamma，andSancho，andMrMarkham，andMissMillward，wereonfoot，journeyingfarbehindor，passingthroughdistantfieldsandlanes。

Ihaveaverypleasantrecollectionofthatwalk，alongthehard，white，sunnyroad，shadedhereandtherewithbrightgreentrees，andadornedwithflowerybanksandblossominghedgesofdeliciousfragrance；orthroughpleasantfieldsandlaballgloriousinthesweetflowers，andbrilliantverdureofdelightfulMay。Itwastrue，Elizawasnotbesideme；butshewaswithherfriendsinthepony-carriage，ashappy，Itrusted，asIwas；

andevenwhenwepedestrians，havingforsakenthehighwayforashortcutacrossthefields，beheldthelittlecarriagefaraway，disappearingamidthegreen，emboweringflees，Ididnothatethosetreesforsnatchingthedearlittlebonnetandshawlfrommysight，nordidIfeelthatallthoseinterveningobjectslaybetweenmyhappinessandme；for，toconfessthetruth，IwastoohappyinthecompanyofMrsGraham，toregrettheabsenceofElizaMillward。

Theformer，itistrue，wasmostprovokinglyunsociableatfirst——seeminglybentupontalkingtonoonebutMaryMillwardandArthur。SheandMaryjourneyedalongtogether，generallywiththechildbetweenthem；——butwheretheroadpermitted，Ialwayswalkedontheothersideofher，RichardWilsontakingtheothersideofMissMillward，andFergusrovinghereandthereaccordingtohisfancy；andafterawhile，shebecamemorefriendly，andatlength，Isucceededinsecuringherattention，almostentirelytomyself——andthenIwashappyindeed；forwhenevershedidcondescendtoconverse，Ilikedtolisten。Whereheropinionsandsentimentstalliedwithmine，itwasherextremegoodsense，herexquisitetasteandfeelingthatdelightedme；wheretheydiffered，itwasstillheruncompromisingboldnessintheavowalordefenceofthatdifference——herearnestnessandkeennessthatpiquedmyfancy：andevenwhensheangeredmebyherunkindwordsorlooks，andheruncharitableconclusionsrespectingme，itonlymademethemoredissatisfiedwithmyselfforhavingsounfavourablyimpressedher，andthemoredesiroustovindicatemycharacteranddispositioninhereyes，andifpossible，towinheresteem。

Atlengthourwalkwasended。Theincreasingheightandboldnessofthehillsbadforsometimeinterceptedtheprospect：but，ongainingthesummitofasteepacclivity，andlookingdownward，anopeninglaybeforeus——andtheblueseaburstuponoursight——deepvioletblue——notdeadlycalm，butcoveredwithglintingbreakers——diminutivewhitespeckstwinklingonitsbosom，andscarcelytobedistinguishedbythekeenestvision，fromthelittlesea-mewsthatsportedabove，theirwhitewingsglitteringinthesunshine：onlyoneortwovesselswerevisible；andthosewerefaraway。

Ilookedatmycompaniontoseewhatshethoughtofthisgloriousscene。Shesaidnothing：butshestoodstill，andfixedhereyesuponitwithagazethatassuredmeshewasnotdisappointed。Shehadveryfineeyes，bytheby——Idon’tknowwhetherI’vetoldyoubefore，buttheywerefullofsoul，large，clear，andnearlyblack——notbrown，butverydarkgrey。Acool，revivingbreezeblewfromthesea——soft，pure，salubrious：