The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

er down easy; without raising much sorrow, or incurring much resentment,-or making myself the talk of the parish; and besides, if I had wholly kept away, the vicar, who looked upo

, but she, of course, would be little better than a nonentity. However, I resolved to make my visit a short one, and to talk to Eliza in a brotherly, friendl

y one else; but I had not been seated three minutes before she broug

ubdued almost to a whisper, 'what do you think of these shocking r

repo

' she slily smiled

them. What in the worl

he cambric handkerchief which she had been beautifyin

said I, appealing to her sister, who seemed to be

ppose. I never heard it till Eliza told me the other day,-but if all the parish d

illward!-and so do I

such a comfortable assurance regarding the worth of those we

that I did not like; and I wondered how I ever could have admired them-her sister's honest face and small grey optics appeared far more agreeable. Bu

ok leave, excusing myself under the plea of business at the farm; and to the farm I went, not troubling my mind one whit about the possible truth of these mysterio

f under the plea of dark evenings or inclement weather, and, greatly to my relief, she came. Without her I should have found the whole affair an intolerable bore; but the moment of her arrival brought n

d comport himself to Mrs. Graham. A slight bow was all that passed between them on his entrance; and having politely gr

iza, who was my nearest neighbour. 'Would

but wha

you can't pretend

nded I, so sharply that

don't spe

red in a lower tone, 'what is

for the truth of it-indeed, far

nothing, exc

tell you that; but I shall only anger you by repe

ed her hands before her, wit

ve held your tongue from the beginning, or else s

med-not so much of my harshness as for her childish weakness. However, no one seemed to notice her, and shortly after we were summoned to the tea-table: in those parts it was cus

u?' said a soft

cant chair; then, looking up in my face with a half-sad, ha

htly contemptuous smile, and said

d you?' said she, more pla

don't be foolish,' responded I,

other side of me, occasioned by Miss Wilson's co

I don't like to sit by Mrs. Graham. If your mamma thinks proper to invite such per

of soliloquy when Rose was gone; but

to tell me what you me

rtled her a litt

rprises me rather that Mrs. Markham should invite such a person as Mrs. Graham to her house;

re you would oblige me by explaini

planations; but I think you can hardly be so ignora

if you will inform me what you have heard or imagined a

who was her husband, o

t such a time and place I cou

za, 'what a striking likeness there

s Wilson, with an air of

dly spoken suggestion had be

I was mistaken.' But she accompanied the words with a sly glance

ting them. I presume the person you allude to is Mr. Lawrence; but I think I can assure you that your suspicions, in that respect, are utterly misplaced; and if he has any particular connection with the lady at all (which no one has a right to assert), at l

the only individual who shared that side of the table with us. 'G

rupted her by saying as calmly as I could, though in a tone which betrayed, no doubt, some little of what I felt w

time to time, with looks of stern distaste, while you sat there, irreverently whispering and muttering together; and once he paused in the middle of a story or

of the tea that was in my cup, and ate nothing; and that the first thing I did was to stare at Arthur Graham, who sat beside his mother on the opposite side of the table, an

while the child's hair was evidently of a lighter, warmer tint than the elder gentleman's had ever been, and his large, clear blue eyes, though prematurely serious at times, were utterly dissimilar to the shy hazel eyes of Mr. Lawrence, whence the sensitive soul looked so distrustfully forth, as ever ready to retire within, from the offences of a too rude, too uncongenial world. Wretch that I was to harbour that detestable idea for a moment! Did I not know Mrs. Graham? Had I not seen he

ied from several quarters for my abstraction and ungallant neglect of the ladies; but I cared little for that: all I cared about, besides that one grand subject of my thoughts, was to see the cups travel up to the tea-tray, and not come down again.

y-I could endure their company no longer. I rushed out to cool my brain in the balmy evening

but I had not been so occupied two minutes, before voices and laughter, and glimpses of moving objects through the trees, informed me that the whole company had turned out to take an airing in the garden too. However, I nestled up in a corner of the bower, and hope

ow recollected having seen Mrs. Wilson, in the early part of the evening, edging her chair close up to my mother, and bending forward, evidently in the delivery of some important confidential intelligence; and from the incessant wagging of her head, the frequent distortions of her wrinkled physiognomy, and the winking and malicious twinkle of her little ugly eyes, I judged it was some spicy piece of scandal that engaged her powers; and from the cautious privacy of the com

said she. 'We came here to seek retirement

it looks rather like it to absent myself i

ell,' said she, with a

, lifting Arthur by the shoulders, I planted him in the middle of the seat by way of securing his mamma, who, ackno

ad their unkindness then really driv

y left you al

was wearied to death with small talk-nothing wears me out

ing at the serious de

use to think, but fill up with aimless trifles and vain repetitions when subjects of real

arried away by trivialities that would not move a better-furnished skull; and their only alternative to

ried the lady, astonished at

such degraded tastes, and my mother too,

nversation when circumstances impelled them to it; but it is a gift I cannot boast the possession of. I kept up my attention on this occasion as long as I could, but when my pow

e, and I promise not to be offended; for I possess the faculty of enjoying

ut if it were so you would ex

ish, then, in o

sters of foliage look, where the sun comes through beh

thickness of trees and shrubs on the opposite side of the path before us, relieved their d

e not a painter,' ob

t exult in your privilege of being able to imitate th

do, I am always troubling my head about how I could produce the same effect upon

lf, but you may and do succeed in delightin

ew people gain their livelihood with so much pleas

exed at the

lson,' said I, 'coming to enjoy a qu

r face; but I was satisfied there was no jealou

person is Miss W

e generality of her birth and station; an

rigid and rather supercil

ossibly taken a prejudice against you, for I t

kham!' said she, evident

ed I, rather doggedly; for I thought he

I saw, by the aspect of Jane Wilson, that she was directing her companion's attention to us; and, as well by her cold, sarcastic smile as by the few isolated words of her discourse that reached me, I knew full well that she was impre

were they honourable, he would not be so anxious to conceal them. S

something of Miss Wilson's remarks, and therefore it was natural enough she should choose to continue the tête-à-tête no longer, especially as at that moment my cheeks were burning with indignation against

ouse. I offered, nay, begged to accompany her home. Mr. Lawrence was standing by at the time conversing with some one else. He did not look at us, but, on hearing my ea

was daylight still, and she should meet no one; or if she did, the people were quiet and harmless she was well assured. In fact, she would not hear of any one's putting himself out of the wa

art of the room. Shortly after the party broke up and he himself took leave. When he came to me I was blind to his extended hand, and deaf to

atter, Markham

wrathful and co

t you go home with her?' he asked, with a faint

er answers, I merely demanded,

sual solemnity,-'only let me tell you, Markham, that if you have any designs in that quarter, they will certain

th, and looked very blank, turned white about

to the quick; an