Warner_Queechy.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
was an uninterrupted easy flow of talk at the table, which
heard just enough to join in where it was necessary; the rest of the time
she sat in a kind of abstraction, dipping enormous strawberries one by
one into white sugar, with a curious want of recognition between them and
the ends of her fingers; it never occurred to her that they had picked
baskets full.
" have done something for which you will hardly thank me, . ,"
said . " have driven this lady to tears within the first
hour of her being in the house."
" she will forgive you, will, my lord," . answered
carelessly.
" will confess myself though," continued his lordship looking at the face
that was so intent over the strawberries. " was under the impression when
first saw a figure in the window that it was . own as
soon as found it was a stranger had my suspicions--which did not lack
confirmation in the course of the interview-- trust am forgiven the
means used."
" seems you had your curiosity too, my lord," said .
the uncle.
" ought in all justice to have lacked gratification," said
. " hope will not be too ready to forgive you."
" expect forgiveness nevertheless," said he looking at . "
wait for it?"
" am much obliged to you, sir."
then she gave him a very frank smile and blush as she added, " beg
pardon--you know my tongue is ."
" don't like that," said his lordship gravely.
" of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh," said the
elder . " heart being , we may hope the tongue will
become so too."
" will not assure you of that, sir," said laughingly, though her
cheeks showed the conversation was not carried on without effort.
enough nobody saw it with any dissatisfaction.
" what, madam?" said .
" will not always keep a rag of the stars and stripes flying
somewhere."
that little speech had almost been too much for her equanimity.
" who retained the crucifix when she gave up the
profession of popery."
" unlike indeed!" said , endeavouring to understand what .
was saying to her about wood strawberries and hautbois.
" you allow that, ?"
", my lord?"
" rival banner to float alongside of . 's?"
'" flags are friendly, my lord."
"--just now,--they may seem so.-- your little standard-bearer
anything of a rebellious disposition?"
" against any lawful authority, hope," said .
" there is hope for you, . , that you will be able to
prevent the introduction of mischievous doctrines."
" shame, !" said his wife,--"what atrocious
suppositions you are making. am blushing, am sure, for your want of
discernment."
"--yes--" said his lordship, looking at another face whose blushes were
more unequivocal,--"it may seem so--there is no appearance of anything
untoward, but she is a woman after all. will try her. . ,
don't you think with my that in the present nineteenth
century women ought to stand more on that independent footing from which
lordly monopoly has excluded them?"
first name thought belonged to another person, and her downcast
eyelids prevented her seeing to whom it was addressed. was no matter,
for any answer was anticipated.
" boast of independence is not engrossed by the boldest footing, my
lord."
" has never considered the subject," said .
" is no matter," said his lordship. " must respectfully beg an answer
to my question."
silence made look up.
"'t you think that the rights of the weak ought to be on a perfect
equality with those of the strong?"
" rights of the weak _as such_--yes, my lord."
gentlemen smiled; the ladies looked rather puzzled.
" have no more to say, . ," said his lordship, "but that we
must make an of her!"
" am afraid she will never be a perfect cure," said . smiling.
" conceive it might require peculiar qualities in the physician,--but
do not despair. was telling her of some of your doings this morning, and
happy to see that they met with her entire disapproval."
. did not even glance towards and made no answer, but
carelessly gave the conversation another turn; for which she thanked him
unspeakably.
was no other interruption of any consequence to the well-bred flow
of talk and kindliness of manner on the part of all the company, that put
as much as possible at her ease. she did not realize anything,
and yet she did realize it so strongly that her woman's heart could not
rest till it bad eased itself in tears. superbly appointed table at
which she sat,--her own, though . this morning presided,--the
like of which she had not seen since she was at before; the
beautiful room with its arrangements, bringing back a troop of
recollections of that old time; all the magnificence about her, instead of
elevating sobered her spirits to the last degree. pressed home upon her
that feeling of responsibility, of the change that come over her; and
though beneath it all very happy, hardly knew it, she longed so to
be alone and to cry. person's eyes, however little seemingly observant
of her, read sufficiently well the unusual shaded air of her brow and her
smile. a sudden errand of business called him abroad immediately after
breakfast.
ladies seized the opportunity to carry up and introduce her to
her dressing-room and take account of 's commission, and
ladies and ladies' maids soon formed a busy committee of dress and
decorations. did not enliven , it wearied her, though she forgave
them the annoyance in gratitude for the pleasure they took in looking at
her. the delight her eye had from the first minute she saw it, in the
beautiful room, and her quick sense of the carefulness with which it had
been arranged for her, added to the feeling with which she was oppressed;
she was very passive in the hands of her friends.
the midst of all this the housekeeper was called in and formally
presented, and received by with a mixture of frankness and
bashfulness that caused . afterwards to pronounce her "a
lady of a very sweet dignity indeed."
" is just such a lady as you might know my master would have fancied,"
said . .
" what kind of a lady is that?" said . .
. was too wise to enter into any particulars and merely
informed . that she would know in a few days.
" first words . said when . got home," said the
old butler,--"she put both her hands on his arms and cried out, ', am
delighted with her!'"
" what did _he_ say?" said . .
"!" echoed . in a tone of indignant intelligence,--"what
should _he_ say?-- didn't say anything; only asked where she was,
believe."
the midst of silks, muslins and jewels . found still
on his return; looking pale and even sad, though nobody but himself
through her gentle and grateful bearing would have discerned it. took
her out of the hands of the committee and carried her down to the little
library, adjoining the great one, but never thrown open,--_his_ room, as
it was called, where more particularly art and taste had accumulated their
wealth of attractions.
" remember this very well," said . " beautiful room!"
" is as free to you as to me, ; and never gave the freedom of it
to any one else."
" will not abuse it," said .
" hope not, my dear ," said he smiling,--"for the room will want
something to me now when you are not in it; and a gift is abused that is
not made free use of."
large and deep bay window in the room looked upon the same green lawn
and fir wood with the windows of the library. those this casement
stood open, and . leading there remained quietly beside
her for a moment, watching her face which his last words had a little
moved from its outward composure. , gently and gravely as if she had
been a child, putting his arm round her shoulders and drawing her to him
he whispered,
" dear ,--you need not fear being misunderstood--"
started and looked up to see what he meant. his face said it so
plainly, in its perfect intelligence and sympathy with her, that her
barrier of self-command and reserve was all broken down; and hiding her
head in her hands upon his breast she let the pent-up burden upon her
heart come forth in a flood of unrestrained tears. could not help
herself. when she would fain have checked them after the first burst
and bidden them, according to her habit to wait another time, it was out
of her power; for the same kindness and tenderness that had set them a
flowing, perhaps witting of her intent, effectually hindered its
execution. did not say a single word, but now and then a soft touch of
his hand or of his lips upon her brow, in its expressive tenderness would
unnerve all her resolution and oblige her to have no reserve that time at
least in letting her secret thoughts and feelings be known, as far as
tears could tell them. wept, at first in spite of herself and
afterwards in the very luxury of indulged feeling; till she was as quiet
as a child, and the weight of oppression was all gone. . did
not move, nor speak, till she did.
" never knew before how good you were, . ," said
raising her head at length, as soon as she dared, but still held fast by
that kind arm.
" new light have you got on the subject?" said he, smiling.
"," said , trying as hard as ever did sunshine to scatter the
remnants of a cloud,--it was a bright cloud too by this time, " have
always heard that men cannot endure the sight of a woman's tears."
" shall give me a reward then. ."
" reward?" said .
" me that you will shed them nowhere else."
" else?--"
" here--in my arms."
" don't feel like crying any more now," said evasively;--at
least."--for drops were falling rather fast again,--" not sorrowfully."
" me, ," said . after a pause.
hesitated still and looked dubious.
"!--" he said smiling,--"you know you promised a little while ago that
you would have a particular regard to my wishes."
's cheeks answered that appeal with sufficient brightness, but she
looked down and said demurely,
" am sure one of your wishes is that should not say anything rashly."
"?--"
" cannot answer for such wilful things as tears."
" for such wilful things as men?" said he smiling.
was silent.
" will alter the form of my demand. me that no shadow of
anything shall come over your spirit that you do not let me either share
or remove."
was no trifling in the tone,--full of gentleness as it was; there
could be no evading its requisition. the promise demanded was a grave
one. was half afraid to make it. looked up, in the very way he
had seen her do when a child, to find a warrant for her words before she
uttered them. the full, clear, steadfast eye into which she looked for
two seconds, authorized as well as required the promise; and hiding her
face again on his breast gave it, amid a gush of tears every one of
which was illumined with heart-sunshine.