Shesmiled，andoncemorebidmego，——and，atlength，Ijudgeditprudenttoobey；andshere-enteredthehouse，andIwentdownthehill。
ButasIwent，thetrampofhorses’hoofsfellonmyear，andbrokethestillnessofthedewyevening；and，lookingtowardsthelane，Isawasolitaryequestriancomingup。Incliningtoduskasitwas，Iknewhimataglance：
itwasMrLawrenceonhisgreypony。Iflewacrossthefield——leapedthestonefence——andthenwalkeddownthelanetomeethim。Onseeingme，hesuddenlydrewinhislittlesteed，andseemedinclinedtoturnback，butonsecondthought，apparentlyjudgeditbettertocontinuehiscourseasbefore。Heaccostedmewithaslightbow，and，edgingclosetothewall，endeavouredtopasson——butIwasnotsominded：seizinghishorsebythebridle，Iexclaimed：——
`Now，Lawrence，Iwillhavethismysteryexplained！Tellmewhereyouaregoing，andwhatyoumeantodo——atonce，anddistinctly！’
`Willyoutakeyourhandoffthebridle？’saidhe，quietly——`you’rehurtingmypony’smouth。’
`Youandyourponybe——’
`Whatmakesyousocoarseandbrutal，Markham？I’mquiteashamedofyou。’
`Youanswermyquestions——beforeyouleavethisspot！Iwillknowwhatyoumeanbythisperfidiousduplicity？’
`Ishallanswernoquestionstillyouletgothebridle，——ifyoustandtillmorning。’
`Nowthen，’saidI，unclosingmyhand，butstillstandingbeforehim。
`Askmesomeothertime，whenyoucanspeaklikeagentleman，’
returnedhe，andhemadeanefforttopassmeagain；butIquicklyrecapturedthepony，scarcelessastonishedthanitsmasteratsuchuncivilusage。
`Really，MrMarkham，thisistoomuch！’saidthelatter。`CanInotgotoseemytenantonmattersofbusiness，withoutbeingassaultedinthismannerby——’
`Thisisnotimeforbusiness，sir！——I’lltellyou，now，whatIthinkofyourConduct。’
`You’dbetterdeferyouropiniontoamoreconvenientseason，’
interruptedhe，inalowtone——`here’sthevicar。’
Andintruth，thevicarwasjustbehindme，ploddinghomewardfromsomeremotecornerofhisparish。Iimmediatelyreleasedthesquire；
andhewentonhisway，salutingMrMillwardashepassed。
`What，quarrelling，Markham？’criedthelatter，addressinghimselftome，——`andaboutthatyoungwidowIdoubt，’headded，reproachfullyshakinghishead。`Butletmetellyou，youngman(hereheputhisfaceintominewithanimportant，confidentialair)，`the’snotworthit！’andheconfirmedtheassertionbyasolemnnod。
`MrMILLWARD！’Iexclaimed，inatoneofwrathfulmenacethatmadethereverendgentlemanlookround——aghast——astoundedatsuchunwontedinsolence，andstaremeintheface，withalookthatplainlysaid：`What，thistome！’ButIwastooindignanttoapologize，ortospeakanotherwordtohim：Iturnedaway，andhastenedhomewards，descendingwithrapidstridesthesteep，roughlane，andleavinghimtofollowashepleased。
TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter11CHAPTER11TheVicarAgainYoumustsupposeaboutthreeweekspassedover。MrsGrahamandIwerenowestablishedfriends——orbrotherandsister，asweratherchosetoconsiderourselves。ShecalledmeGilbert，bymyexpressdesire，andIcalledherHelen，forIhadseenthatnamewritteninherbooks。Iseldomattemptedtoseeherabovetwiceaweek；andstillImadeourmeetingsappeartheresultofaccidentasoftenasIcould——forIfounditnecessarytobeextremelycareful——and，altogether，Ibehavedwithsuchexceedingproprietythatsheneverhadoccasiontoreprovemeonce。YetIcouldnotbutperceivethatshewasattimesunhappyanddissatisfiedwithherself——orherposition，andtrulyImyselfwasnotquitecontentedwiththelatter：thisassumptionofbrotherlynonchalancewasveryhardtosustain，andIoftenfeltmyselfamostconfoundedhypocritewithitall；Isawtoo，orratherIfelt，that，inspiteofherself，`Iwasnotindifferenttoher。”asthenovelheroesmodestlyexpressit，andwhileIthankfullyenjoyedmypresentgoodfortune，Icouldnotfailtowishandhopeforsomethingbetterinfuture；butofcourse，Ikeptsuchdreamsentirelytomyself。
`Whereareyougoing，Gilbert？’saidRose，oneevening，shortlyaftertea，whenIhadbeenbusywiththefarmallday，`Totakeawalk，’wasthereply。
`Doyoualwaysbrushyourhatsocarefully，anddoyourhairsonicely，andputonsuchsmartnewgloveswhenyoutakeawalk？’
`Notalways。’
`You’regoingtoWildfellHall，aren’tyou？’
`Whatmakesyouthinkso？’
`Becauseyoulookasifyouwere——butIwishyouwouldn’tgosooften。’
`Nonsense，child！Idon’tgoonceinsixweeks——whatdoyoumean？’
`Well，butifIwereyou，Iwouldn’thavesomuchtodowithMrsGraham。’
`WhyRose，areyou，too，givingintotheprevailingopinion？’
`No，’returnedshe，hesitatingly——`butI’veheardsomuchaboutherlately，bothattheWilsons’andthevicarage；——andbesides，mammasays，ifshewereaproperperson，shewouldnotbelivingtherebyherself——anddon’tyourememberlastwinter，Gilbert，allthataboutthefalsenametothepicture；andhowsheexplainedit——sayingshehadfriendsoracquaintancesfromwhomshewishedherpresentresidencetobeconcealed，andthatshewasafraidoftheirtracingherout；——andthen，howsuddenlyshestartedupandlefttheroomwhenthatpersoncame——whomshetookgoodcarenottoletuscatchaglimpseof，andwhoArthur，withsuchanairofmystery，tolduswashismamma’sfriend？’
`Yes，Rose，Irememberitall；andIcanforgiveyouruncharitableconclusions；forperhaps，ifIdidnotknowhermyself，Ishouldputallthesethingstogether，andbelievethesameasyoudo；butthankGod，I
doknowher；andIshouldbeunworthythenameofaman，ifIcouldbelieveanythingthatwassaidagainsther，unlessIhearditfromherownlips——I
shouldassoonbelievesuchthingsofyou，Rose。’
`Oh，Gilbert！’
`Well，doyouthinkIcouldbelieveanythingofthekind，——whatevertheWilsonsandMillwardsdaredtowhisper？’
`Ishouldhopenotindeed！’
`Andwhynot？——BecauseIknowyou——well，andIknowherjustaswell。’
`Oh，no！youknownothingofherformerlife；andlastyearatthistime，youdidnotknowthatsuchapersonexisted。’
`Nomatter。Thereis’suchathingaslookingthroughaperson’seyesintotheheart，andlearningmoreoftheheight，andbreadth，anddepthofanother’ssoulinonehour，thanitmighttakeyoualifetimetodiscover，ifheorshewerenotdisposedtorevealit，——orifyouhadnotthesensetounderstandit。’
`Thenyouaregoingtoseeherthisevening？’
TobesureIam！’
`Butwhatwouldmammasay，Gilbert？’
`Mammaneedn’tknow。’
`Butshemustknowsometime，ifyougoon’
`Goon！——there’snogoingoninthematter——MrsGrahamandIaretwofriends——andwillbe；andnomanbreathingshallhinderit，——orhasarighttointerferebetweenus。’
`Butifyouknewhowtheytalk，youwouldbemorecareful——forhersakeaswellasforyourown。JaneWilsonthinksyourvisitstotheoldhallbutanotherproofofherdepravity——’
`ConfoundJaneWilson！’
`AndElizaMillwardisquitegrievedaboutyou。’
`Ihopesheis。’
`ButIwouldn’tifIwereyou。’
`Wouldn’twhat？——HowdotheyknowthatIgothere？’
`There’snothinghidfromthem：theyspyouteverything。’
`Oh，Ineverthoughtofthis！——Andsotheydaretoturnmyfriendshipintofoodforfurtherscandalagainsther！——Thatprovesthefalsehoodoftheirotherlies，atallevents，ifanyproofwerewanting——Mindyoucontradictthem，Rose，wheneveryoucan。’
`Buttheydon’tspeakopenlytomeaboutsuchthings：itisonlybyhintsandinnuendoes，andbywhatIhearotherssay，thatIknowwhattheythink。’
`Wellthen，Iwon’tgotoday，asit’sgettinglatish。Butoh，deucetaketheircursedenvenomedtongues！’Imuttered，inthebitternessofmysoul。
Andjustatthatmoment，thevicarenteredtheroom：wehadbeentoomuchabsorbedinourconversationtoobservehisknock。AlterhiscustomarycheerfulandfatherlygreetingofRose，whowasratherafavouritewiththeoldgentleman，heturnedsomewhatsternlytome：——
`Well，sir！’saidhe，`you’requiteastranger。Itis-let-me-see，’
hecontinued，slowly，ashedepositedhisponderousbulkinthearmchairthatRoseofficiouslybroughttowardshim，`itisjustsix——weeks——bymyreckoning，sinceyoudarkened——my——door！’Hespokeitwithemphasis，andstruckhisstickonthefloor。
`Isit，sir？’saidI。
`Ay！Itisso！’Headdedanaffiramatorynod，andcontinuedtogazeuponmewithakindofiratesolemnity，holdinghissubstantialstickbetweenhisknees，withhishandsclaspeduponitshead。
`Ihavebeenbusy，’Isaid，foranapologywasevidentlydemanded。
`Busy！’repeatedhe，derisively。
`Yes；youknowI’vebeengettinginmyhay：andnowtheharvestisbeginning。’
`Humph！’
Justthenmymothercamein，andcreatedadiversioninmyfavourbyherloquaciousandanimatedwelcomeofthereverendguest。Sheregretteddeeplythathehadnotcomealittleearlier，intimefortea，butofferedtohavesomeimmediatelyprepared，ifhewoulddoherthefavourtopartakeofit。
`Notanyforme，Ithankyou，’repliedhe；`Ishallbeathomeinafewminutes。’
`Oh，butdostayandtakealittle！itwillbereadyinfiveminutes。’
Butherejectedtheofferwithamajesticwaveofthehand。
`I’lltellyouwhatI’lltake，MrsMarkham，’saidhe：`I’lltakeaglassofyourexcellentale。’
`Withpleasure！’criedmymother，proceedingwithalacritytopull。thebellandorderthefavouredbeverage。
`Ithought，’continuedhe，`I’djustlookinuponyouasIpassed，andtasteyourhome-brewedale。I’vebeentocallonMrsGraham。’
`Haveyouindeed？’
Henoddedgravely，andaddedwithawfulemphasis——
Ithoughtitincumbentuponmetodoso。’
`Really！’ejaculatedmymother。
`Whyso，MrMillward？’askedI。Helookedatmewithsomeseverity，andturningagaintomymother，repeated——
`Ithoughtitincumbentuponme！’andstruckhisstickontheflooragain。Mymothersatopposite，anawe-struckbutadmiringauditor。
`“MrsGraham。”saidI，’hecontinued，shakinghisheadashespoke，`“theseareterriblereports！”“Whatsir？”saysshe，affectingtobeignorantofmymeaning。“Itismy——duty——as——yourpastor。”saidI，“totellyoubotheverythingthatImyselfseereprehensibleinyourconduct，andallIhavereasontosuspect，andwhatotherstellmeconcerningyou“——SoI
toldher！’
`Youdidsir？’criedI，startingfrommyseat，andstrikingmyfistonthetable。Hemerelyglancedtowardsme，andcontinued——addressinghishostess：
`Itwasapainfulduty，MrsMarkham——butItoldher！’
`Andhowdidshetakeit？’askedmymother。
`Hardened，Ifear——hardened！’hereplied，withadespondentshakeofthehead；`andatthesametime，therewasastrongdisplayofunchastened，misdirectedpassions。Sheturnedwhiteintheface，anddrewherbreaththroughherteethinasavagesortofway；——butsheofferednoextenuationordefence；andwithakindofshamelesscalmness——shockingindeedtowitness，inonesoyoung——asgoodastoldmethatmyremonstrancewasunavailing，andmypastoraladvicequitethrownawayuponher——nay，thatmyverypresencewasdispleasingwhileIspokesuchthings。AndIwithdrewatlength，tooplainlyseeingthatnothingcouldbedone——andsadlygrievedtofindhercasesohopeless。ButIamfullydetermined，MrsMarkham，thatmydaughters——shall——not——consortwithher。Doyouadoptthesameresolutionwithregardtoyours！——Asforyoursons——asforyou，youngman，’hecontinued，sternlyturningtome。
`AsforME，sir，——’Ibegan，butcheckedbysomeimpedimentinmyutterance，andfindingthatmywholeframetrembledwithfury，Isaidnomore——buttookthewiserpartofsnatchingupmyhatandboltingfromtheroom，slammingthedoorbehindmewithabangthatshookthehousetoitsfoundationsandmademymotherscream——andgaveamomentaryrelieftomyexcitedfeelings。
ThenextminutesawmehurryingwithrapidstridesinthedirectionofWildfellHall——towhatintentorpurposeIcouldscarcelytel！，butImustbemovingsomewhere，andnoothergoalwoulddo——Imustseeher，too，andspeaktoher——thatwascertain，butwhattosayorhowtoact，Ihadnodefiniteidea。Suchstormythoughts——somanydifferentresolutions——crowdedinuponme，hatmymindwaslittlebetterthanachaosofconflictingpassions。
TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter12
