第11章

`WhathaveIdonetooffendyou？’saidshe，moreplaintively。

`IwishIknew。’

`Come，takeyourtea，Eliza，anddon’tbefoolish，’respondedI，handingherthesugarandcream。

Justthen，therearoseaslightcommotionontheothersideofme，occasionedbyMissWilson’scomingtonegotiateanexchangeofseatswithRose。

`Willyoubesogoodastoexchangeplaceswithme，MissMarkham？’

saidshe，`forIdon’tliketositbyMrsGraham。Ifyourmammathinkspropertoinvitesuchpersonstoherhouse，shecannotobjecttoherdaughter’skeepingcompanywiththem。’

ThislatterclausewasaddedinasortofsoliloquywhenRosewasgone；butIwasnotpoliteenoughtoletitpass：

`Willyoubesogoodastotellmewhatyoumean，MissWilson？’

saidI。

Thequestionstartledheralittle，butnotmuch。

`WhyMrMarkham，’repliedshe，coolly，havingquicklyrecoveredherself-possession，`itsurprisesmeratherthatMrsMarkhamshouldinvitesuchapersonasMrsGrahamtoherhouse；butperhapssheisnotawarethatthelady’scharacterisconsideredscarcelyrespectable。’

`Sheisnot，noramI；andtherefore，youwouldobligemebyexplainingyourmeaningalittlefurther。’

`Thisisscarcelythetimeortheplaceforsuchexplanations；

butIthinkyoucanhardlybesoignorantasyoupretend：youmustknowheraswellasIdo。’

`IthinkIdo，perhapsalittlebetter；andtherefore，ifyouwillinformmewhatyouhaveheard，orimaginedagainsther，Ishall，perhaps，beabletosetyouright。’

`Canyoutellme，then，whowasherhusband；orifsheeverhadany？’

Indignationkeptmesilent。AtsuchatimeandplaceIcouldnottrustmyselftoanswer。

`Haveyouneverobserved，’saidEliza，`whatastrikinglikenessthereisbetweenthatchildofhersand——`

`Andwhom？’demandedMissWilson，withanairofcold，butkeenseverity。

Elizawasstartled：thetimidlyspokensuggestionhadbeenintendedformyearalone。

`Oh，Ibegyourpardon！’pleadedshe，`Imaybemistaken——perhapsIwasmistaken。’Butsheaccompaniedthewordswithaslyglanceofderisiondirectedtomefromthecornerofherdisingenuouseye。

`There’snoneedtoaskmypardon，’repliedherfriend；

`butIseenooneherethatatallresemblesthatchild，excepthismother；

andwhenyouhearill-naturedreports，MissEliza，Iwillthankyou——thatis，Ithinkyouwilldowelltorefrainfromrepeatingthem。IpresumethepersonyoualludetoisMrLawrence；butIthinkIcanassureyouthatyoursuspicions，inthatrespect，areutterlymisplaced；andifhehasanyparticularconnectionwiththeladyatall(whichnoonehasarighttoassert)，atleasthehas(whatcannotbesaidofsomeothers)sufficientsenseofproprietytowithholdhimfromacknowledginganythingmorethanabowingacquaintanceinthepresenceofrespectablepersons——hewasevidentlybothsurprisedandannoyedtofindherhere。’

`Goit！’criedFergus，whosatontheothersideofEliza，andwastheonlyindividualwhosharedthatsideofthetablewithus；`goitlikebricks！mindyoudon’tleaveheronestoneuponanother。’

MissWilsondrewherselfupwithalookoffreezingscorn，butsaidnothing。Elizawouldhavereplied，butIinterruptedherbysaying，ascalmlyasIcould，thoughinatonewhichbetrayed，nodoubt，somelittleofwhatIfeltwithin，——

`Wehavehadenoughofthissubject：ifwecanonlyspeaktoslanderourbetters，letusholdourtongues。’

`Ithinkyou’dbetter，’observedFergus；`andsodoesourgoodparson：hehasbeenaddressingthecompanyinhisrichestveinallthewhile，andeyeingyou，fromtimetotime，withlooksofsterndistaste，whileyousatthere，irreverentlywhisperingandmutteringtogether；andoncehepausedinthemiddleofastory——orasermon，Idon’tknowwhich，andfixedhiseyesuponyou，Gilbert，asmuchastosay——“WhenMrMarkhamhasdoneflirtingwiththosetwoladiesIwillproceed！”’

Whatmorewassaidatthetea-tableIcannottell；norhowIfoundpatiencetosittillthemealwasover。Iremember，however，thatIswallowedwithdifficultytheremainderoftheteathatwasinmycup，andatenothing；

andthatthefirstthingIdidwastostareatArthurGraham，whosatbesidehismotherontheoppositesideofthetable，andthesecondtostareatMrLawrence，whosatbelow；and，first，itstruckmethattherewasalikeness；but，onfurthercontemplation，Iconcludeditwasonlyinimagination。

Both，itistrue，hadmoredelicatefeaturesandsmallerbonesthancommonlyfalltothelotofindividualsoftheroughersex，andLawrence’scomplexionwaspaleandclear，andArthur’sdelicatelyfair；butArthur’stiny，somewhatsnubbynosecouldneverbecomesolongandstraightasMrLawrence’s，andtheoutlineofhisface，thoughnotfullenoughtoberound，andtoofinelyconvergingtothesmall，dimpledchintobesquare，couldneverbedrawnouttothelongovaloftheother’s；whilethechild’shairwasevidentlyofalighter，warmertintthantheeldergentleman’shadeverbeen，andhislarge，clear，blueeyes，thoughprematurelyseriousattimes，wereutterlydissimilartotheshy，hazeleyesofMrLawrence，whencethesensitivesoullookedsodistrustfullyforth，aseverreadytoretirewithin，fromtheoffencesofatoorude，toouncongenialworld。WretchthatIwastoharbourthatdetestableideaforamoment！DidInotknowMrsGraham？HadInotseenher，conversedwithhertimeaftertime？WasInotcertainthatshe，inintellect，inpurityandelevationofsoul，wasimmeasurablysuperiortoanyofherdetractors；thatshewas，infact，thenoblest，themostadorable，ofhersexIhadeverbeheld，orevenimaginedtoexist？Yes，andIwouldsaywithMaryMillward(sensiblegirlasshewas)thatifalltheparish，ay，oralltheworldshoulddinthesehorribleliesinmyears，Iwouldnotbelievethem；forIknewherbetterthanthey。

Meantime，mybrainwasonfirewithindignation，andmyheartseemedreadytoburstfromitsprisonwithconflictingpassions。IregardedmytwofairneighbourswithafeelingofabhorrenceandloathingIscarcelyendeavouredtoconceal：Iwasralliedfromseveralquartersformyabstractionandungallantneglectoftheladies；butIcaredlittleforthat：allI

caredabout，besidesthatonegrandsubjectofmythoughts，wastoseethecupstraveluptothetea-tray，andnotcomedownagain。IthoughtMrMillwardneverwouldceasetellingusthathewasnotea-drinker，andthatitwashighlyinjurioustokeeploadingthestomachwithslopstotheexclusionofmorewholesomesustenance，andsogivehimselftimetofinishhisfourthcup。

Atlengthitwasover；andIroseandleftthetableandtheguests，withoutawordofapology——Icouldenduretheircompanynolonger。Irushedouttocoolmybraininthebalmyeveningair，andtocomposemymind，orindulgemypassionatethoughtsinthesolitudeofthegarden。

Toavoidbeingseenfromthewindows，Iwentdownaquietlittleavenue，thatskirtedonesideoftheenclosure，atthebottomofwhichwasaseatemboweredinrosesandhoneysuckles。HereIsatdowntothinkoverthevirtuesandwrongsoftheladyofWildfellHall；butIhadnotbeensooccupiedtwominutes，beforevoicesandlaughter，andglimpsesofmovingobjectsthroughthetrees，informedmethatthewholecompanyhadturnedouttotakeanaIringinthegardentoo，However，Inestledupinacornerofthebower，andhopedtoretainpossessionofit，securealikefromobservationandintrusion。Butno——confoundit——therewassomeonecomingdowntheavenue！Whycouldn’ttheyenjoytheflowers。andsunshineoftheopengarden，andleavethatsunlessnooktome，andthegnatsandmidges？

Butpeepingthroughmyfragrantscreenofinterwovenbranchestodiscoverwhotheintruderswere(foramurmurofvoicestoldmeitwasmorethanone)，myvexationinstantlysubsided，andfarotherfeelingsagitatedmystillunquietsoul；fortherewasMrsGraham，slowlymovingdownthewalkwithArthurbyherride，andnooneelse。Whyweretheyalone？

Hadthepoisonofdetractingtonguesalreadyspreadthroughall？andhadtheyallturnedtheirbacksuponher？InowrecollectedhavingseenMrsWilson，intheearlypartoftheevening，edgingherchaircloseuptomymother，andbendingforward，evidentlyinthedeliveryofsomeimportant，confidentialintelligence；andfromtheincessantwaggingofherhead，thefrequentdistortionsofherwrinkledphysiognomy，andthewinkingandmalicioustwinkleofherlittleuglyeyes，Ijudgeditwassomespicypieceofscandalthatengagedherpowers；andfromthecautiousprivacyofthecommunication，Isupposedsomepersonthenpresentwasthelucklessobjectofhercalumnies；andfromallthesetokens，togetherwithmymother’slooksandgesturesofmingledhorrorandincredulity，InowconcludedthatobjecttohavebeenMrsGraham。Ididnotemergefrommyplaceofconcealment，tillshehadnearlyreaChedthebottomofthewalk，lestmyappearanceshoulddriveheraway；andwhenIdidstepforward，shestoodstillandseemedinclinedtoturnbackasitwas。

Oh，don’tletusdisturbyou，MrMarkham！’saidshe。`Wecameheretoseekretirementourselves；nottointrudeonyourseclusion。’

`Iamnohermit，MrsGraham——thoughIownitlooksratherlikeit，toabsentmyselfinthisuncourteousfashionfrommyguests。’

`Ifearedyouwereunwell，’saidshe，withalookofrealconcern。

`Iwasrather，butit’sovernow。Dositherealittle，andrest，andtellmehowyoulikethisarbour，’saidI，andliftingArthurbytheshoulders，Iplantedhiminthemiddleoftheseatbywayofsecuringhismamma，who，acknowledgingittobeatemptingplaceofrefuge，threwherselfbackinonecorner，whileItookpossessionoftheother。

Butthatwordrefugedisturbedme。Hadtheirunkindnessthenreallydrivenhertoseekforpeaceinsolitude？

`Whyhavetheyleftyoualone？’Iasked。

`ItisIwhohaveleftthem，’wasthesmilingrejoinder。`Iwasweariedtodeathwithsmalltalk——nothingwearsmeoutlikethat。Icannotimaginehowtheycangoonastheydo。’

Icouldnothelpsmilingattheseriousdepthofherwonderment。

`Isitthattheythinkitadutytobecontinuallytalking，’pursuedshe；`andsoneverpausetothink，butfillupwithaimlesstriflesandvainrepetitions，whensubjectsofrealinterestfailtopresentthemselves？——ordotheyreallytakeapleasureinsuchdiscourse？’

Verylikelytheydo，’saidI：`theirshallowmindscanholdnogreatideas，andtheirlightheadsarecarriedawaybytrivialitiesthatwouldnotmoveabetterfurnishedskill；——andtheironlyalternativetosuchdisCourseistoplungeoverheadandearsintothesloughofscandal——whichistheirchiefdelight。’

`Notallofthemsurely？’criedthelady，astonishedatthebitternessofmyremark。

`No，certainly；Iexoneratemysisterfromsuchdegradedtastes——andmymothertoo，ifyouincludedherinyouranimadversions。’

`Imeantnoanimadversionsagainstanyone，andcertainlyin-tendednodisrespectfulallusionstoyourmother。Ihaveknownsomesensiblepersonsgreatadeptsinthatstyleofconversation，whencircumstancesimpelledthemtoit；butitisagiftIcannotboastthepossessionof。Ikeptupmyattention，onthisoccasion，aslongasIcould，butwhenmypowerswereexhausted，Istoleaway，toseekafewminutes’reposeinthisquietwalk。1hatetalkingwherethereisnoexchangeofideasorsentiments，andnogoodgivenorreceived。’

`Well，’saidI，`ifeverItroubleyouwithmyloquacity，tellmesoatonce，andIpromisenottobeoffended；forIpossessthefacultyofenjoyingthecompanyofthoseI——ofmyfriendsaswellinsilenceasinconversation。’

`Idon’tquitebelieveyou；butifitwereso，youwouldexactlysuitmeforacompanion。’

`Iamallyouwish，then，inotherrespects？’

`No，Idon’tmeanthat。Howbeautifulthoselittleclustersoffoliagelook，wherethesuncomesthroughbehindthem！’saidshe，onpurposetochangethesubject。