Sandra Belloni -- Volume 2

nto no interior. His friends knew him thoroughly. His daughters were never in doubt about him. At the period of the purchase of Brookfield he had been excitable and

asons for wishing to avoid it. Now that they spoke to him of Besworth, assuring him that they were serious in their desire to change their residence, the fit of shyness was manifested, first in outrageous praise of Brookfield, which was speedily and inexplicably followed by a sort of implied assent to the proposition to depart from it. For Besworth displayed numerous advantages over Brookfield, and to contest one was t

"what does it lead to? Is

irls, you know. You won

at Brookfield for your

s blushed

us, papa," said Cornelia. "Our

uld see it,"

t a select life is preferable to that higgledy-piggledy cit

eakness in their argument; "how can it be select when you

la, with terrible placidity. "It is where we see few that

y and the bourgeoisie is, that the former choose their sets, and

quit this place." But at the second discussion they found that they had not advanced. The only change was in the emphasis that their father added to the interrogations already uttered. "What does it lead to? What's to come after? I see your ob

h with favour, "and I may inform you," he pursued, "that your taste is heartily applauded by Lady Charlotte Chillingworth, she bids me tell you." The letter was dated from Stornley, the estate of the marquis, Lady Charlotte's father. Her ladyship's brother was a member of Wilfrid's Club. "He

rival them? Ultimately, it might be! The neighbourhood to London, too, gave it noble advantages. Rapid relays of guests, and a metropolitan reputation for country attractions, would distinguish Besworth a

now nothing of river-beds. I, Adela, know nothing of engineering. But, we are persuaded, the latter, that the river running for a mile through Besworth gro

all endangering the fish or spoiling the channel. At all events, the idea of making the mile of broad water serviceable for boats is too good to give up in a

began to feel that their honour was pledged to purchase this surpassing family seat. In a household where every wan

de, and will not (perhaps, poor dear, cannot) see what we intend doing in the world. Now, you know that rich men invariably make the question of the cost their first and loudest outcry. I know that to be the case. They call it their blood. Papa seems indifferent to this part of the affair. He does not even allude to it. Still, we do not progress. It is just possible that the Tinleys have an eye on beautiful Besworth. Their

ed it unadviseable that he should add h

they heard from their father one evening at

ike some young people I know

possible?"

's possible

Char

a Lady C

Charlotte still,

thing out of me. All I say is, be pra

elated with some

Besworth, the last two

nowledging Wilfrid's wonderful p

aid Adela. "We are always anxio

over his glass. "Well

rai

gate;

been perplexing, but f

rlo

subject. His answer was Boeotian, and all about Besworth. "Press it now," he said, "if you really want it. The iron is hot. And above all things, let me beg you not to be

nsiderate and ready to sacrifice everything to their father. In the end, they deputed the volunteering Adela to sit with him in the library, and put the que

er curls seeming to drip, and her blue eyes wandering about the room, as

impatience, from which the habit of government and gre

tion: "I wish I had n

come to papa?" b

"Do you not kno

made her ask whether Besw

ear. We may h

, sur

e conditions?"

is explained. Bella, th

t wo

. Ch

see him in town, if that

a, "that no explanation, or whatev

ot, if it wa

think of Besworth,- not a word of it!-until-until w

lowed this astounding intelligence. "Then," she said

bourhood. The house will have to be locked up. We shall live like hermits worried by a demon. Her b

ursting into tear

tuously, "as if we had very humbly

rms with us!" m

epeat hi

I said. He replied that Besworth was a large place, and I pointed out that therein lay one of its principal merits. I expected what would come. He alluded to the possibility of our changing our condition. You know that idea haunts him. I told him our opinion of the folly of the thing. I noticed that he grew

emark: Cornelia placidly observing, "Vulgarity n

widow marrying at all-that's my question!' he cried out loud. Of course I contained my voice all the more. 'Distinctly, papa.' When I had spoken, I could scarcely help laughing. He went like a pony that is being broken in, crying, I don't know how many times, 'Why? What's your reason?' You may suppose, darlings, that I decline to enter upon explanation. If a person is dense upon a matter of pure sentiment, there is no ground between us: he has simply a sense wanting. 'What has all this to do with Besworth?' I asked. 'A great deal more than you fancy,' was his answer. He seemed to speak every word at me in capital letters. Then, as if a l

h can that be?" i

ke the purchase of Besworth into his consideration, if we, as I said before, will receive Mrs. Chump as our honoured guest. I am bound to say, poor dear old man, he

but neither of them showed a perturbation

given in his adhesion to papa's demands, at least. He is another example of the constant

In any case, that need not dep

dresse

nd to the real significance of papa's words? I could not have belie

be explicit; Arabella, eage

est? Why should he do that? Why should he evince anxiety with regard to our opinion of the decen

spare us," said Corne

n tenderness f

f we are following a tra

ue. We might easily have guessed this,

Cornelia. "What Adela apprehends may seem to impend, but we know that papa is incapable of doing it. To

isters were, perhaps unknowingly, disguising a slowness of perception they w

ears whatever, you need not

hoice, I take that which is least objectionable. I am chag

ggested. "You are not sp

who was prompted: whether he hesitated as he spoke: whether, in short, Wilfrid wa

reason, if you please. I would tell you to study him for yourselves, only I am convinced that these special private interviews are an

te passive, and provoke no word of Mrs. Chump by making any all

astonished to find that Besworth was altogether dropped. After certain scattered attempts

a great longing for Besworth. And yet he did not go there, or e

e actions and motives are as plain to us as though discerned through a glass, should at ti

rren replied, with one of his saddest amused smiles. "I have come to the c

r me with

tural attendant o

assump

ow a person

we

knowledge this 'comp

iled when she had

most active, and which principle the least restraining. The only knowledge to be trusted is a grounded or scientific study of the springs that move him, side by side with his method of moving the springs. If you fail to do this, you have two classes under your eyes: you have sane and madman: and it will seem to you that t

ately head with gentl

tt have read in her heart, he might have seen that his words were beginning to rob that organ of its native sobriety. So that when he spoke a cogent phrase, she was silenced, and became aware of a strange exu

his head with a forced laugh. Occasionally, he would turn toward them, as if he had just caught a lost idea that was peculiarly precious. The ladies drawing up to attend to the communication, had a most triv

as full as we care

l very well, but I mean

, papa," said Adela,

that," h

her allusion to the place. They engaged an opera-box, for the purpose of holding a consultation with him in town. He wrote evasively, but did not appear, and the ladies, with Emilia between them, li

s you?" t

hispered, and it was difficult to persuad

it is you that run away f

ed contrite very still and timid, since that night of adventure. The ladies were glad to obs

nd rubbing his hands, like one newly primed with a suggestion that was the k

rning," Mr. Pole r

tt was at

nk of our law of primogenitu

usual allusion to a

n its favour at starting. I'm Englishman enough to think that. T

he said, "I certainly think that a young man

common. But, if you're found

om my point of vie

k? I mean, makes the trunk of the tree

n his head, and that possibly there were personal consi

nal caresses. He folded Adela in one arm, and framed her chin in his

ou've given up Be

a and Cornelia drew

pa? It is not we who h

el

ay, 'What's the use of it, for that's a so

we indulge in ulterior

nel

and split it up after two or three years-I dare say they wouldn't insure me

not selfish!" it rej

ndedness that won the confidence of the la

orth; and if we may enjoy the place for the time that we are al

perament similar to his own; and he had educated it. In feminine earth it flourished wonderfully. Shy as himself, their shyness took other forms, and developed with warm youth. Not only did it shut them up from others (which is the first effect of this disease), but it tyrannized over them internally: so that there were subjects they had no powe

ay, do you? Very well. And you want me to think of it? So I will. And look, my dears, you know that-" (here his voice grew husky, as was the case with it when touching a

apa dear!" rang the cl

rth, even though it isn't exactly

ies kis

f we do. Much! You're a little hard on people who're not up to the ma

re unintelligible to

him a good dinner that day; and he winked humorously and kindly by which they understood h

la, "I myself wi

thrown to her sisters,

she will kn

he dust and cobwebs in the passage. Having rubbed his hands briskly with soap, he dipped his head likewise, in an oblivious fit, and then turning r

when the water covered his face, to the effect that he must forfeit the natural artistic sequence

he ladies; and if it was accompanied by the mute exclamation, "How singular

er range; and on the capacities of mansions, on the secret of mixing people in society, and what to do with the women! A terrible problem, this latter one. Not terrible (to hostesses) at a mere rout or drum, or at a dance pure and simple, but terrible when you want good talk to circulate for then they are not, as a body, amused;

, and greeted his appearance with a display of pocket- handkerchiefs in the breeze, a proceeding that should have astonished him, being novel; but seemed not to do so, for it was immediately responded to by the vigorous waving of a pair of pocket-handkerchiefs from the carriage-window! The ladies

Pole. Safely alighted, she waved her pocket-handkerchief afresh. The ladies of Brookfield did not speak to one another; nor did they move their eyes